Moe Myint May Thu’s mother posted a video online at the end of April showing off her daughter’s skills as the youngster threw together some spicy fried prawns.

8-year-old 'Little Chef' from Myanmar gives cooking tutorials during lockdown

4 months after Aung San Suu Kyi defended Myanmar's Army Generals at the ICJ, a video of Army troops assaulting detainees is going viral. WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay gets you a report.

Gravitas: Myanmar Army's abuse caught on tape

After rising calls on risks of overcrowded prisons leading to a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, Myanmar decided to release more than a quarter of prisoners.&nbsp;

In April during the New Year holiday, the countries in Southeast Asia generally provide&nbsp;an annual amnesty to thousands of prisoners, but this is the highest ever prisoner-release of the country. &nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/coronavirus-south-asia-may-see-worst-economic-performance-in-40-years-says-wb-report-292127">Coronavirus: South Asia may see worst economic performance in 40 years, says WB report</a>

"To mark Myanmar New Year, by respecting humanitarian ground and peace in mind of the people, the president pardons altogether 24,896 prisoners from various prisons," the president's office said, in a statement.

Also read&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/coronavirus-imf-approves-nearly-14-billion-to-pakistan-to-meet-balance-of-payment-crisis-293008">Coronavirus: IMF approves nearly $1.4 billion to Pakistan to meet balance of payment crisis</a>

So far, Myanmar has reported 85 confirmed COVID-19 cases but experts fear that the real figures could be many more as the country has a low testing rate.&nbsp;

The country is under complete lockdown and the pressure was building up to release prisoners from what Human Rights Watch (HRW) describes as "horribly overcrowded and unsanitary" jails. 
&nbsp; 
The statement also said that 87 foreign inmates included in the amnesty would be deported.&nbsp;

The release would start immediately, a senior official from the prison department in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw said without sharing any other details.&nbsp;

A Rohingya activist, who requested not to be named, said he had heard nearly 1,500 Rohingya Muslim prisoners are also included in the list.&nbsp;

In Myanmar, around 100,000 are currently imprisoned whereas space is just for 62,000, according to HRW.

Last year's amnesty led to the high-profile release of two Reuters journalists, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were behind bars for more than 500 over their reporting on the Rohingya crisis. 
&nbsp;

After rising calls on risks of overcrowded prisons leading to a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, Myanmar decided to release more than a quarter of prisoners. In April during the New Year holiday, the countries in Southeast Asia generally provide an annual amnesty to thousands of prisoners, but this is the highest ever prisoner-release of the country.

After rising calls on risks of overcrowded prisons leading to a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, Myanmar decided to release more than a quarter of prisoners. In April during the New Year holiday, the countries in Southeast Asia generally provide an annual amnesty to thousands of prisoners, but this is the highest ever prisoner-release of the country. Also read | Coronavirus: South Asia may see worst economic performance in 40 years, says WB report "To mark Myanmar New Year, by respecting humanitarian ground and peace in mind of the people, the president pardons altogether 24,896 prisoners from various prisons," the president's office said, in a statement. Also read | Coronavirus: IMF approves nearly $1.4 billion to Pakistan to meet balance of payment crisis So far, Myanmar has reported 85 confirmed COVID-19 cases but experts fear that the real figures could be many more as the country has a low testing rate. The country is under complete lockdown and the pressure was building up to release prisoners from what Human Rights Watch (HRW) describes as "horribly overcrowded and unsanitary" jails. The statement also said that 87 foreign inmates included in the amnesty would be deported. The release would start immediately, a senior official from the prison department in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw said without sharing any other details. A Rohingya activist, who requested not to be named, said he had heard nearly 1,500 Rohingya Muslim prisoners are also included in the list. In Myanmar, around 100,000 are currently imprisoned whereas space is just for 62,000, according to HRW. Last year's amnesty led to the high-profile release of two Reuters journalists, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were behind bars for more than 500 over their reporting on the Rohingya crisis.

Amid growing calls of coronavirus spread, Myanmar decides to release 25,000 prisoners

From meditation to memory games, former political prisoners in Myanmar are dishing out tips on surviving isolation in a pandemic as the country once severed from the world again closes its borders.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-opens-two-border-crossings-with-afghanistan-for-four-days-290964" hreflang="en">Pakistan opens two border crossings with Afghanistan for four days</a>

The Southeast Asian state spent nearly half a century under a paranoid, secretive junta that violently suppressed dissent, jailed its critics and locked the country off as it drove the economy into ruin.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-police-baton-charged-doctors-who-were-demanding-protective-gear-to-fight-coronavirus-290940" hreflang="en">Pakistan: Police baton-charged doctors who were demanding protective gear to fight coronavirus</a>

Pro-democracy activist Bo Kyi, 56, was one of thousands jailed, spending eight years behind bars in the 1990s.

His punishment included 12 months in solitary confinement in an 8 x 12 foot (2.5 x 3.5 metre) cell furnished with just a bowl for a toilet and a mat to sleep on.

Last week he posted advice on Facebook about how to cope with isolation to his compatriots holed up at home, gripped by fears over the coronavirus in a country with a threadbare public health system.

"I wanted to make sure people don't get too down," Bo Kyi told AFP.

"Do something! This is the best medicine when you are (in) isolation," he wrote in the post, signed off "In Solidarity".

During his detention Bo Kyi devoted himself to learning English, helped by a friendly guard who each day smuggled in a page from a dictionary.

The prisoner would memorise every word, then eat the page to destroy the evidence.

Accepting his reality and avoiding negative news helped keep him sane, he said, adding he also used to meditate and walk 6,000 steps a day to keep healthy.

Myanmar has reported just 21 cases of COVID-19, including one death so far, but experts say the low number tested for the virus means the real figure is likely many times higher.

There are fears the country's health system will be easily overwhelmed as cases rise. Myanmar is thought to have fewer than 200 ventilators for a population of 55 million.

From meditation to memory games, former political prisoners in Myanmar are dishing out tips on surviving isolation in a pandemic as the country once severed from the world again closes its borders.

From meditation to memory games, former political prisoners in Myanmar are dishing out tips on surviving isolation in a pandemic as the country once severed from the world again closes its borders. Also read: Pakistan opens two border crossings with Afghanistan for four days The Southeast Asian state spent nearly half a century under a paranoid, secretive junta that violently suppressed dissent, jailed its critics and locked the country off as it drove the economy into ruin. Also read: Pakistan: Police baton-charged doctors who were demanding protective gear to fight coronavirus Pro-democracy activist Bo Kyi, 56, was one of thousands jailed, spending eight years behind bars in the 1990s. His punishment included 12 months in solitary confinement in an 8 x 12 foot (2.5 x 3.5 metre) cell furnished with just a bowl for a toilet and a mat to sleep on. Last week he posted advice on Facebook about how to cope with isolation to his compatriots holed up at home, gripped by fears over the coronavirus in a country with a threadbare public health system. "I wanted to make sure people don't get too down," Bo Kyi told AFP. "Do something! This is the best medicine when you are (in) isolation," he wrote in the post, signed off "In Solidarity". During his detention Bo Kyi devoted himself to learning English, helped by a friendly guard who each day smuggled in a page from a dictionary. The prisoner would memorise every word, then eat the page to destroy the evidence. Accepting his reality and avoiding negative news helped keep him sane, he said, adding he also used to meditate and walk 6,000 steps a day to keep healthy. Myanmar has reported just 21 cases of COVID-19, including one death so far, but experts say the low number tested for the virus means the real figure is likely many times higher. There are fears the country's health system will be easily overwhelmed as cases rise. Myanmar is thought to have fewer than 200 ventilators for a population of 55 million.

Isolation blues? Myanmar's ex-political prisoners share survival tips

A Myanmar journalist faces up to life in prison for publishing an interview with a rebel group operating in the country's restive Rakhine state a week after the insurgents were classified as a terrorist organisation.

The western region has long been a tinderbox of conflict between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA), a group demanding greater autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine people.

Clashes have left scores of civilians killed, hundreds injured and about 150,000 displaced since January last year, and both sides have traded allegations of abuse.

A March 27 interview with a top-ranking AA representative published by the Mandalay-based Voice of Myanmar led to the detention of editor-in-chief Nay Myo Lin, who was brought to court on terrorism charges Tuesday.

The interview was published after the government declared on March 23 that the insurgents had been classified as a "terrorist group".

"I was accused under two charges of the counter-terrorism law," he told reporters before leaving the court in Mandalay.

The charges -- which cover violations including allowing terrorist groups to spread fear, gather or hide -- were filed by Special Branch, Myanmar's intelligence arm, he said.&nbsp;

They carry penalties ranging from three years to life in prison.

"This is disturbing for press freedom," said the journalist, who previously worked for the BBC's Burmese-language news service.

His wife Zarni Mann, a reporter with independent local news outlet The Irrawaddy, said her husband's laptop was seized.

She decried the use of counter-terrorism laws against journalists.

Amnesty International's Nicholas Bequelin called for the charges to be dropped and for Nay Myo Lin's immediate release.&nbsp;

"Myanmar must stop arresting journalists simply for doing their jobs," Bequelin said.&nbsp;

Myanmar has come under fire in the past for the high-profile jailing of two Reuters journalists who were convicted in 2018 of breaching a law on state secrets after revealing a massacre of Rohingya Muslims.

The pair were eventually freed by presidential pardon after spending more than a year in jail.

Myanmar is ranked 138 out of 180 countries for press freedom by campaign group Reporters Without Borders.&nbsp;

A Myanmar journalist faces up to life in prison for publishing an interview with a rebel group operating in the country's restive Rakhine state a week after the insurgents were classified as a terrorist organisation.

A Myanmar journalist faces up to life in prison for publishing an interview with a rebel group operating in the country's restive Rakhine state a week after the insurgents were classified as a terrorist organisation. The western region has long been a tinderbox of conflict between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA), a group demanding greater autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine people. Clashes have left scores of civilians killed, hundreds injured and about 150,000 displaced since January last year, and both sides have traded allegations of abuse. A March 27 interview with a top-ranking AA representative published by the Mandalay-based Voice of Myanmar led to the detention of editor-in-chief Nay Myo Lin, who was brought to court on terrorism charges Tuesday. The interview was published after the government declared on March 23 that the insurgents had been classified as a "terrorist group". "I was accused under two charges of the counter-terrorism law," he told reporters before leaving the court in Mandalay. The charges -- which cover violations including allowing terrorist groups to spread fear, gather or hide -- were filed by Special Branch, Myanmar's intelligence arm, he said. They carry penalties ranging from three years to life in prison. "This is disturbing for press freedom," said the journalist, who previously worked for the BBC's Burmese-language news service. His wife Zarni Mann, a reporter with independent local news outlet The Irrawaddy, said her husband's laptop was seized. She decried the use of counter-terrorism laws against journalists. Amnesty International's Nicholas Bequelin called for the charges to be dropped and for Nay Myo Lin's immediate release. "Myanmar must stop arresting journalists simply for doing their jobs," Bequelin said. Myanmar has come under fire in the past for the high-profile jailing of two Reuters journalists who were convicted in 2018 of breaching a law on state secrets after revealing a massacre of Rohingya Muslims. The pair were eventually freed by presidential pardon after spending more than a year in jail. Myanmar is ranked 138 out of 180 countries for press freedom by campaign group Reporters Without Borders.

Myanmar journalist hit with terrorism charges over insurgents

Myanmar army has blocked Aung San Suu Kyi's bid to reduce the influence of the military in politics. This report tells you more.

Gravitas: Army blocks bid to reduce military power, Myanmar

House built by trash: Myanmar start-up turns clutter to handicrafts

From a boat on the Salween River in southeastern Myanmar, Than Zaw Oo pointed to a brown stretch of water he said was once full of lush paddy fields.

"This used to be my land," said the 51-year-old farmer, frowning at the murky waves.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/illegal-sand-mining-still-ongoing-in-madhya-pradesh-says-mineral-resources-minister-275165">Illegal sand mining still ongoing in Madhya Pradesh, says Mineral Resources Minister</a>

All but six of the 24 acres where he used to grow rice and vegetables have slipped into the water in recent years, he said. Another farmer, Than Tun, said he had lost 15 acres of his land to erosion. While official records were not available, other villagers backed their accounts.

Farmers and politicians in Chaungzon township, just outside the southern town of Moulmein, worry that erosion in the area is being exacerbated by the ships that dredge its bed for sand each night.

The sand is mainly bound for Singapore, the world's biggest importer, for use in reclamation and construction projects.

Both the Myanmar government and the company whose ships do the dredging in Chaungzon deny the dredging is causing the erosion. But the dispute highlights the fractious issue of sand-mining in Southeast Asia as Singapore is forced to look farther afield to slake its thirst for the mineral following bans on the trade-in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia over environmental concerns.

Sand mining has been blamed by scientists for damaging sensitive ecosystems around the world, accelerating coastal and riverine erosion, and exacerbating the frequency and severity of floods and droughts, according to a 2019 report by the UN Environment Programme.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/illegal-sand-mining-cbi-conducts-raids-in-up-uttarakhand-252999">Illegal sand mining: Central Bureau of Investigation conducts raids in North India</a>

Malaysia, formerly the biggest source of sand for Singapore, in 2018 introduced an outright ban on the export of sea sand, used for land reclamation, and imposed tighter controls on river sand, used mostly in construction.

Cambodia made a similar move in 2017, while Indonesia banned exports to Singapore in 2007, causing a "sand crisis" that brought building activity almost to a halt. Singapore, an island state that has grown 25 per cent since its independence in 1965 thanks largely to aggressive land reclamation, has since bolstered its stockpiles, according to sand traders.

Officials in Myanmar and industry sources in Singapore say the bans have prompted Singapore to seek new supplies from countries like Myanmar.

Almost 1 million tonnes of sand went from Myanmar to Singapore in 2018, earning over $6 million, according to the most recent UN data on the trade. That amount is expected to have increased substantially following the Malaysia bans, according to the Myanmar government.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-protester-shot-dead-after-boy-dies-in-mining-pit-231971">Nepal protester shot dead after boy dies in mining pit</a>

"Since the Philippines, Cambodia, and Vietnam almost completely stopped exporting sand to Singapore, the sand from Myanmar has become much more in demand," said Aye Lwin, joint secretary-general of the Myanmar Port Authority, which grants licenses for sand-mining operations.

The benefits of the mining,&nbsp;including tax revenues for the government, outweighed the costs, he said.

"I believe it only causes little environmental damage," Aye Lwin said. "But it generates funds for the government."

The Singapore-registered company dredging in Chaungzon, Star high Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., has extracted hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sand since 2013, according to the local member of Parliament, Kyi Kyi Mya. She said at least 150,000 tonnes were extracted in 2018-2019 but did not have the exact number for other years.

Star high dredges the sand legally through a licence with the local government that does not limit the amount of sand the company can extract.

Most of the sand Starhigh extracts is sent to Singapore. The company last year bid to supply sand to JTC Corporation, a Singapore government agency for infrastructure development, according to a tender on a government procurement site.

Star high also supplied sand for a JTC reclamation project in Singapore completed in 2018, according to Starhigh's managing director, Si Thu Phyo. He said the sand for that project came from Myanmar as well as Vietnam and the Philippines.

JTC referred questions from Reuters to Singapore's Ministry of National Development, which said the country imports sand on a commercial basis and that suppliers are expected to abide by laws and regulations in source countries.

The Myanmar government says the environmental impact of the dredging is minimal and necessary to clear waterways of built-up sediment.

In 2014, the company paid compensation to local farmers who claimed that mining too close to the shore had led to landslides, according to Kyi Kyi Mya, the MP in Chaungzon.

Star high did not comment on any compensation paid to farmers but said: "whenever it is possible, we will help locals with small landfill work at our own cost."

Si Thu Phyo, the Star high managing director, told Reuters that erosion was present in the area before dredging work started.

"Dredging is always an easy target when it comes to environmental complaints," he said. "People don't understand and are worried."

Riverbank erosion along the Salween is not an entirely new phenomenon, with factors including climate change worsening the problem by contributing to higher levels of flooding and siltation, said Vanessa Lamb, a geography lecturer at the University of Melbourne who has studied the river.

She said that a lack of baseline data about the river made it difficult to track just how much sand dredging was affecting riverbank erosion. But in a 2019 research paper, Lamb said locals blamed accelerating erosion on the rise in sand-mining. It was not possible to verify those claims from local records or old photographs.

Dr Aung Naing Oo, deputy speaker of the Mon state parliament and the author of a parliamentary report on sand extraction in the region, said there was little transparency around the industry.

He said that there was no consistent monitoring process and that authorities were not checking how much sand was being extracted or whether companies were taking material only from agreed sites.

For now, the government says it does not have plans to end the dredging or compensate farmers for lost land.

From a boat on the Salween River in southeastern Myanmar, Than Zaw Oo pointed to a brown stretch of water he said was once full of lush paddy fields. "This used to be my land," said the 51-year-old farmer, frowning at the murky waves.

From a boat on the Salween River in southeastern Myanmar, Than Zaw Oo pointed to a brown stretch of water he said was once full of lush paddy fields. "This used to be my land," said the 51-year-old farmer, frowning at the murky waves. Also read: Illegal sand mining still ongoing in Madhya Pradesh, says Mineral Resources Minister All but six of the 24 acres where he used to grow rice and vegetables have slipped into the water in recent years, he said. Another farmer, Than Tun, said he had lost 15 acres of his land to erosion. While official records were not available, other villagers backed their accounts. Farmers and politicians in Chaungzon township, just outside the southern town of Moulmein, worry that erosion in the area is being exacerbated by the ships that dredge its bed for sand each night. The sand is mainly bound for Singapore, the world's biggest importer, for use in reclamation and construction projects. Both the Myanmar government and the company whose ships do the dredging in Chaungzon deny the dredging is causing the erosion. But the dispute highlights the fractious issue of sand-mining in Southeast Asia as Singapore is forced to look farther afield to slake its thirst for the mineral following bans on the trade-in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia over environmental concerns. Sand mining has been blamed by scientists for damaging sensitive ecosystems around the world, accelerating coastal and riverine erosion, and exacerbating the frequency and severity of floods and droughts, according to a 2019 report by the UN Environment Programme. Also read: Illegal sand mining: Central Bureau of Investigation conducts raids in North India Malaysia, formerly the biggest source of sand for Singapore, in 2018 introduced an outright ban on the export of sea sand, used for land reclamation, and imposed tighter controls on river sand, used mostly in construction. Cambodia made a similar move in 2017, while Indonesia banned exports to Singapore in 2007, causing a "sand crisis" that brought building activity almost to a halt. Singapore, an island state that has grown 25 per cent since its independence in 1965 thanks largely to aggressive land reclamation, has since bolstered its stockpiles, according to sand traders. Officials in Myanmar and industry sources in Singapore say the bans have prompted Singapore to seek new supplies from countries like Myanmar. Almost 1 million tonnes of sand went from Myanmar to Singapore in 2018, earning over $6 million, according to the most recent UN data on the trade. That amount is expected to have increased substantially following the Malaysia bans, according to the Myanmar government. Also read: Nepal protester shot dead after boy dies in mining pit "Since the Philippines, Cambodia, and Vietnam almost completely stopped exporting sand to Singapore, the sand from Myanmar has become much more in demand," said Aye Lwin, joint secretary-general of the Myanmar Port Authority, which grants licenses for sand-mining operations. The benefits of the mining, including tax revenues for the government, outweighed the costs, he said. "I believe it only causes little environmental damage," Aye Lwin said. "But it generates funds for the government." The Singapore-registered company dredging in Chaungzon, Star high Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., has extracted hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sand since 2013, according to the local member of Parliament, Kyi Kyi Mya. She said at least 150,000 tonnes were extracted in 2018-2019 but did not have the exact number for other years. Star high dredges the sand legally through a licence with the local government that does not limit the amount of sand the company can extract. Most of the sand Starhigh extracts is sent to Singapore. The company last year bid to supply sand to JTC Corporation, a Singapore government agency for infrastructure development, according to a tender on a government procurement site. Star high also supplied sand for a JTC reclamation project in Singapore completed in 2018, according to Starhigh's managing director, Si Thu Phyo. He said the sand for that project came from Myanmar as well as Vietnam and the Philippines. JTC referred questions from Reuters to Singapore's Ministry of National Development, which said the country imports sand on a commercial basis and that suppliers are expected to abide by laws and regulations in source countries. The Myanmar government says the environmental impact of the dredging is minimal and necessary to clear waterways of built-up sediment. In 2014, the company paid compensation to local farmers who claimed that mining too close to the shore had led to landslides, according to Kyi Kyi Mya, the MP in Chaungzon. Star high did not comment on any compensation paid to farmers but said: "whenever it is possible, we will help locals with small landfill work at our own cost." Si Thu Phyo, the Star high managing director, told Reuters that erosion was present in the area before dredging work started. "Dredging is always an easy target when it comes to environmental complaints," he said. "People don't understand and are worried." Riverbank erosion along the Salween is not an entirely new phenomenon, with factors including climate change worsening the problem by contributing to higher levels of flooding and siltation, said Vanessa Lamb, a geography lecturer at the University of Melbourne who has studied the river. She said that a lack of baseline data about the river made it difficult to track just how much sand dredging was affecting riverbank erosion. But in a 2019 research paper, Lamb said locals blamed accelerating erosion on the rise in sand-mining. It was not possible to verify those claims from local records or old photographs. Dr Aung Naing Oo, deputy speaker of the Mon state parliament and the author of a parliamentary report on sand extraction in the region, said there was little transparency around the industry. He said that there was no consistent monitoring process and that authorities were not checking how much sand was being extracted or whether companies were taking material only from agreed sites. For now, the government says it does not have plans to end the dredging or compensate farmers for lost land.

As Myanmar farmers lose their land, sand mining for Singapore is blamed

Myanmar soldiers swooped on several illicit drug labs to seize nearly $27 million of narcotics, chemicals, and equipment, military newspaper The Myawady said Monday, the biggest bust so far this year.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-army-clash-with-insurgents-kills-5-rohingyas-283577">Myanmar army clash with insurgents kills 5 Rohingyas</a>

Photos showed hundreds of barrels, bags and other containers recovered in the operation in what is believed to be the world's largest methamphetamine producing nation.

Also see: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/myanmar-president-u-win-myint-calls-on-external-affairs-minister-jaishankar-283075">Myanmar President U Win Myint calls on External Affairs Minister Jaishankar</a>

Troops raided several sites over the weekend in Kutkai township of eastern Shan state after receiving a tip-off, the newspaper said.

They found around 18 million tablets, about 33 kilograms of heroin and 281 barrels of acids hidden in a ground pit alongside other equipment, including stoves, tablet-making machines, and vehicles.

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"It’s the biggest seizure this year," a police officer from the anti-drugs department told AFP, asking not to be named.

Myanmar's multi-billion dollar drug industry is centred in Shan in the country's east, where the poppy-covered hills also hide illicit production labs.

High-grade crystal meth -- often known as ice -- is smuggled out of the country to lucrative markets as far away as Seoul, Tokyo or Sydney.

Meanwhile, there is a booming regional market for lower quality tablets known as yaba that have also become increasingly popular within Myanmar.

A study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says that Southeast Asia's crime gangs are netting more than $60 billion a year -- a conservative estimate, according to experts -- thanks to a sophisticated smuggling and money-laundering operation.

Myanmar seized an estimated $374 million worth of drugs in 2019, according to figures by the anti-drugs department.

Myanmar soldiers swooped on several illicit drug labs to seize nearly $27 million of narcotics, chemicals, and equipment, military newspaper The Myawady said Monday, the biggest bust so far this year.

Myanmar soldiers swooped on several illicit drug labs to seize nearly $27 million of narcotics, chemicals, and equipment, military newspaper The Myawady said Monday, the biggest bust so far this year. Also read: Myanmar army clash with insurgents kills 5 Rohingyas Photos showed hundreds of barrels, bags and other containers recovered in the operation in what is believed to be the world's largest methamphetamine producing nation. Also see: Myanmar President U Win Myint calls on External Affairs Minister Jaishankar Troops raided several sites over the weekend in Kutkai township of eastern Shan state after receiving a tip-off, the newspaper said. They found around 18 million tablets, about 33 kilograms of heroin and 281 barrels of acids hidden in a ground pit alongside other equipment, including stoves, tablet-making machines, and vehicles. × "It’s the biggest seizure this year," a police officer from the anti-drugs department told AFP, asking not to be named. Myanmar's multi-billion dollar drug industry is centred in Shan in the country's east, where the poppy-covered hills also hide illicit production labs. High-grade crystal meth -- often known as ice -- is smuggled out of the country to lucrative markets as far away as Seoul, Tokyo or Sydney. Meanwhile, there is a booming regional market for lower quality tablets known as yaba that have also become increasingly popular within Myanmar. A study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says that Southeast Asia's crime gangs are netting more than $60 billion a year -- a conservative estimate, according to experts -- thanks to a sophisticated smuggling and money-laundering operation. Myanmar seized an estimated $374 million worth of drugs in 2019, according to figures by the anti-drugs department.

Myanmar seizes drugs, equipment worth $27 million: Military

&nbsp;At least five ethnic Rohingya were killed, including a child, and several injured after troops clashed with insurgents in Myanmar's conflict-torn western state of Rakhine, a lawmaker and two residents said on Sunday.

Saturday's fighting broke out after Arakan Army rebels attacked a military convoy passing the historic temple town of Mrauk U, the regional MP, Tun Thar Sein, and a spokesman for the armed group, Khine Thu Kha, said.

Two military spokesmen did not answer telephone calls from Reuters to seek comment, and the army did not immediately issue a statement on its website.

Khine Thu Kha, the Arakan Army spokesman, blamed government troops for the civilian casualties.

A government spokesman said he could not comment.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the details of the attack in the remote area, where journalists are barred and internet access curtailed.

Myanmar army artillery shells hit the village of Bu Ta Lone, killing four people, the Arakan Army spokesman said in a message.

The MP, a health worker who treated the injured, and a villager said at least five Rohingya, members of a persecuted Muslim minority, had died. A 12-year-old boy was among them, the villager said.

Military spokesmen did not respond to phone calls from Reuters seeking additional details. A government spokesman sent a text message saying he was in a meeting.

There were conflicting accounts of the number of Rohingya injured, which ranged from six to 11, along with several members of the state's Rakhine ethnic majority.

Rakhine is the state from which more than 730,000 Rohingya were forced to flee for neighbouring Bangladesh after a military crackdown in 2017 that the U.N. has said was executed with genocidal intent. Myanmar denies committing genocide.

Several hundred thousand Rohingya remain in Myanmar, many confined to camps and villages where they are caught in the middle of fresh fighting between the military and Arakan Army, which recruits from the mostly Buddhist majority in a drive for greater autonomy from the central government.

That conflict has displaced tens of thousands and killed dozens.

Tun Thar Sein, the Mrauk U MP, said troops responded with gunfire and shelling in two villages on Saturday after rebels attacked their convoy.

"In response to that, the military started firing at suspicious locations," he said.

A local health worker, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution, said three of the Rakhine ethnic majority were also injured and one woman had died of cardiac arrest.

Trapped by fighting

Journalists are blocked from travelling to most of central and northern Rakhine, now in the eighth month of a mobile internet shutdown the government justifies on grounds of security.

Many of the several hundred thousand Rohingya still in Rakhine are confined to apartheid-like conditions, unable to travel freely or access healthcare and education.

"Five Muslims died as their bodies were found," a Rohingya villager from the area told Reuters on Sunday, asking not to be named for fear of retribution. "Their funeral was held today."

He said the bodies had bullet wounds.

"We can't go out and we can't go anywhere," he added. "We are just staying safe in our village. If this keeps happening, I feel like there is no hope."

Saturday's attack was one of several to kill Rohingya this year.

In early January, four Rohingya children died in a blast the military and rebels blamed on each other.

Weeks later, two women were killed after shells hit a village in Buthidaung township, two days after the world court ordered Myanmar to protect the minority.

At the time, the military blamed the Arakan Army for those deaths, saying it would not have carried out an attack just after a world court verdict in a genocide lawsuit brought by Gambia in November against Myanmar.

In January, the International Court of Justice at the Hague had ordered Myanmar to protect the Rohingya against further atrocities and preserve evidence of alleged crimes.

At least five ethnic Rohingya were killed, including a child, and several injured after troops clashed with insurgents in Myanmar's conflict-torn western state of Rakhine, a lawmaker and two residents said on Sunday.

At least five ethnic Rohingya were killed, including a child, and several injured after troops clashed with insurgents in Myanmar's conflict-torn western state of Rakhine, a lawmaker and two residents said on Sunday. Saturday's fighting broke out after Arakan Army rebels attacked a military convoy passing the historic temple town of Mrauk U, the regional MP, Tun Thar Sein, and a spokesman for the armed group, Khine Thu Kha, said. Two military spokesmen did not answer telephone calls from Reuters to seek comment, and the army did not immediately issue a statement on its website. Khine Thu Kha, the Arakan Army spokesman, blamed government troops for the civilian casualties. A government spokesman said he could not comment. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the details of the attack in the remote area, where journalists are barred and internet access curtailed. Myanmar army artillery shells hit the village of Bu Ta Lone, killing four people, the Arakan Army spokesman said in a message. The MP, a health worker who treated the injured, and a villager said at least five Rohingya, members of a persecuted Muslim minority, had died. A 12-year-old boy was among them, the villager said. Military spokesmen did not respond to phone calls from Reuters seeking additional details. A government spokesman sent a text message saying he was in a meeting. There were conflicting accounts of the number of Rohingya injured, which ranged from six to 11, along with several members of the state's Rakhine ethnic majority. Rakhine is the state from which more than 730,000 Rohingya were forced to flee for neighbouring Bangladesh after a military crackdown in 2017 that the U.N. has said was executed with genocidal intent. Myanmar denies committing genocide. Several hundred thousand Rohingya remain in Myanmar, many confined to camps and villages where they are caught in the middle of fresh fighting between the military and Arakan Army, which recruits from the mostly Buddhist majority in a drive for greater autonomy from the central government. That conflict has displaced tens of thousands and killed dozens. Tun Thar Sein, the Mrauk U MP, said troops responded with gunfire and shelling in two villages on Saturday after rebels attacked their convoy. "In response to that, the military started firing at suspicious locations," he said. A local health worker, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution, said three of the Rakhine ethnic majority were also injured and one woman had died of cardiac arrest. Trapped by fighting Journalists are blocked from travelling to most of central and northern Rakhine, now in the eighth month of a mobile internet shutdown the government justifies on grounds of security. Many of the several hundred thousand Rohingya still in Rakhine are confined to apartheid-like conditions, unable to travel freely or access healthcare and education. "Five Muslims died as their bodies were found," a Rohingya villager from the area told Reuters on Sunday, asking not to be named for fear of retribution. "Their funeral was held today." He said the bodies had bullet wounds. "We can't go out and we can't go anywhere," he added. "We are just staying safe in our village. If this keeps happening, I feel like there is no hope." Saturday's attack was one of several to kill Rohingya this year. In early January, four Rohingya children died in a blast the military and rebels blamed on each other. Weeks later, two women were killed after shells hit a village in Buthidaung township, two days after the world court ordered Myanmar to protect the minority. At the time, the military blamed the Arakan Army for those deaths, saying it would not have carried out an attack just after a world court verdict in a genocide lawsuit brought by Gambia in November against Myanmar. In January, the International Court of Justice at the Hague had ordered Myanmar to protect the Rohingya against further atrocities and preserve evidence of alleged crimes.

Myanmar army clash with insurgents kills 5 Rohingyas

Myanmar President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-navy-to-scale-up-training-of-myanmar-navy-personnel-281606">U Win Myint</a> called on External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar&nbsp;on Thursday.

Myint, who arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday, is also slated to hold talks with Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-navy-to-scale-up-training-of-myanmar-navy-personnel-281606">Narendra Modi</a>.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-to-court-martial-more-troops-over-rohingya-crackdown-army-says-282051">Myanmar to court-martial more troops over Rohingya crackdown, army says</a>

The two leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-navy-to-scale-up-training-of-myanmar-navy-personnel-281606">Indian Navy to scale up training of Myanmar Navy personnel&nbsp;</a>

The Myanmar President, who is on a four-day visit to India, is accompanied by the First Lady <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-navy-to-scale-up-training-of-myanmar-navy-personnel-281606">Daw Cho Cho</a>.

The President of Myanmar is also scheduled to visit Bodh Gaya and Agra during his tour.

Myanmar President U Win Myint called on External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Thursday. Myint, who arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday, is also slated to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Myanmar President U Win Myint called on External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Thursday. Myint, who arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday, is also slated to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also read: Myanmar to court-martial more troops over Rohingya crackdown, army says The two leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues. Also read: Indian Navy to scale up training of Myanmar Navy personnel The Myanmar President, who is on a four-day visit to India, is accompanied by the First Lady Daw Cho Cho. The President of Myanmar is also scheduled to visit Bodh Gaya and Agra during his tour.

Myanmar President U Win Myint calls on External Affairs Minister Jaishankar

Myanmar's army said in a statement on Friday it would hold more court-martials over alleged abuses against Rohingya Muslims, after a government-appointed commission said soldiers committed war crimes against the minority.

The panel concluded, in a report published in January, that members of the security forces, among "multiple actors", were responsible for war crimes and serious human rights violations during a military-led crackdown against the group in 2017.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-already-protecting-rohingya-ruling-party-says-after-world-courts-order-276380"> Myanmar already protecting Rohingyas, says ruling party after ICJ order</a>

The army said in a post on its website on Friday it had studied the panel's report in great detail and was reviewing allegations.

Hundreds of thousands of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/icj-to-rule-on-emergency-measures-in-rohingya-genocide-case-276055">Rohingya </a>fled to neighbouring <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/icj-to-rule-on-emergency-measures-in-rohingya-genocide-case-276055">Bangladesh </a>to escape an army offensive launched in August 2017 that UN investigators described as having been executed with genocidal intent.

The country is facing genocide charges at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-already-protecting-rohingya-ruling-party-says-after-world-courts-order-276380">International Court of Justice</a> in the Hague, after Gambia, a mainly Muslim West African state, lodged a lawsuit last year.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/icj-to-rule-on-emergency-measures-in-rohingya-genocide-case-276055">Myanmar </a>says the army was fighting a legitimate counter-insurgency campaign against militants who attacked security posts.

The government-appointed panel blamed Rohingya militants for attacking 30 police posts and "provoking" the crackdown, which it said did not amount to genocide.

Watch: ICJ to rule on emergency measures in Rohingya genocide case

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/icj-to-rule-on-emergency-measures-in-rohingya-genocide-case-276055/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The army said it was investigating alleged abuses in two villages: Maung Nu, where residents told the panel as many as 200 Muslims were killed after taking shelter in a single house, and Chut Pyin, where dozens more are alleged to have died.

"The Court of Inquiry will investigate such incidents and the trial of Court-Martial will be followed in accordance with the law and in line with the processes of Military Justice," the army statement said.

Two military spokesmen rejected several phone calls from Reuters on Friday seeking further comment.

Residents of Maung Nu told government-appointed investigators that soldiers besieged the village after militants attacked a nearby security post and stormed a house where many villagers were sheltering, killing as many as 200.

In Chut Pyin, residents said soldiers surrounded the village, used rocket launchers to set fire to houses and shot indiscriminately, killing scores, according to the January report.

Troops told locals, who allegedly participated in the destruction, to "systematically destroy the bodies" afterwards, one Buddhist resident told the government-backed panel.

"There were so many corpses in Chut Pyin village that when they were burnt, not all could be burnt down to ashes; some were buried, and some dead bodies were pulled apart by wild animals," the resident was quoted as saying.

The army said in its statement it was still reviewing other incidents mentioned in the report by the government-appointed panel, which include an alleged massacre of Hindus by Rohingya militants calling themselves the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which the group denies.

Myanmar has vowed to carry out its own investigations, saying international justice mechanisms violate its sovereignty.

The army began a trial in November of soldiers and officers from a regiment deployed to Gu Dar Pyin village, the site of another alleged massacre.

A statement on that trial will be released "in the near future", the military said on Friday.

Seven soldiers jailed for 10 years for killing 10 Rohingya men and boys in the village of Inn Din were granted early release last November, after serving less than a year in prison.

Myanmar's army said in a statement on Friday it would hold more court-martials over alleged abuses against Rohingya Muslims, after a government-appointed commission said soldiers committed war crimes against the minority.

Myanmar's army said in a statement on Friday it would hold more court-martials over alleged abuses against Rohingya Muslims, after a government-appointed commission said soldiers committed war crimes against the minority. The panel concluded, in a report published in January, that members of the security forces, among "multiple actors", were responsible for war crimes and serious human rights violations during a military-led crackdown against the group in 2017. Also read: Myanmar already protecting Rohingyas, says ruling party after ICJ order The army said in a post on its website on Friday it had studied the panel's report in great detail and was reviewing allegations. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled to neighbouring Bangladesh to escape an army offensive launched in August 2017 that UN investigators described as having been executed with genocidal intent. The country is facing genocide charges at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, after Gambia, a mainly Muslim West African state, lodged a lawsuit last year. Myanmar says the army was fighting a legitimate counter-insurgency campaign against militants who attacked security posts. The government-appointed panel blamed Rohingya militants for attacking 30 police posts and "provoking" the crackdown, which it said did not amount to genocide. Watch: ICJ to rule on emergency measures in Rohingya genocide case The army said it was investigating alleged abuses in two villages: Maung Nu, where residents told the panel as many as 200 Muslims were killed after taking shelter in a single house, and Chut Pyin, where dozens more are alleged to have died. "The Court of Inquiry will investigate such incidents and the trial of Court-Martial will be followed in accordance with the law and in line with the processes of Military Justice," the army statement said. Two military spokesmen rejected several phone calls from Reuters on Friday seeking further comment. Residents of Maung Nu told government-appointed investigators that soldiers besieged the village after militants attacked a nearby security post and stormed a house where many villagers were sheltering, killing as many as 200. In Chut Pyin, residents said soldiers surrounded the village, used rocket launchers to set fire to houses and shot indiscriminately, killing scores, according to the January report. Troops told locals, who allegedly participated in the destruction, to "systematically destroy the bodies" afterwards, one Buddhist resident told the government-backed panel. "There were so many corpses in Chut Pyin village that when they were burnt, not all could be burnt down to ashes; some were buried, and some dead bodies were pulled apart by wild animals," the resident was quoted as saying. The army said in its statement it was still reviewing other incidents mentioned in the report by the government-appointed panel, which include an alleged massacre of Hindus by Rohingya militants calling themselves the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which the group denies. Myanmar has vowed to carry out its own investigations, saying international justice mechanisms violate its sovereignty. The army began a trial in November of soldiers and officers from a regiment deployed to Gu Dar Pyin village, the site of another alleged massacre. A statement on that trial will be released "in the near future", the military said on Friday. Seven soldiers jailed for 10 years for killing 10 Rohingya men and boys in the village of Inn Din were granted early release last November, after serving less than a year in prison.

Myanmar to court-martial more troops over Rohingya crackdown, army says

Indian Navy is scaling up its cooperation with Myanmar and has offered training of the personnel of the country's Navy. The offer was made during Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh's visit to the neighbouring country from February 17 to 20.

During the visit, Admiral Karambir Singh held talks with Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar's Navy Admiral Tin Aung San and called on Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. He also met with the political leadership and called on State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myanmar Navy is a member of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and participates in the activities conducted under its construct.

Admiral Karambir Singh also interacted with the trainees of National Defence College in Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw and visited the Naval Dockyard and Training Command of the Myanmar Navy in Yangon.

Both Indian and Myanmar's Navy interact with each other through the medium of staff talks, Joint Working Group Meeting on Maritime Cooperation and other operational interactions which include port visits, coordinated Patrols, bilateral exercises, training and hydrography. 
&nbsp;

Indian Navy is scaling up its cooperation with Myanmar and has offered training of the personnel of the country's Navy. The offer was made during Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh's visit to the neighbouring country from February 17 to 20.

Indian Navy is scaling up its cooperation with Myanmar and has offered training of the personnel of the country's Navy. The offer was made during Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh's visit to the neighbouring country from February 17 to 20. During the visit, Admiral Karambir Singh held talks with Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar's Navy Admiral Tin Aung San and called on Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. He also met with the political leadership and called on State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmar Navy is a member of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and participates in the activities conducted under its construct. Admiral Karambir Singh also interacted with the trainees of National Defence College in Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw and visited the Naval Dockyard and Training Command of the Myanmar Navy in Yangon. Both Indian and Myanmar's Navy interact with each other through the medium of staff talks, Joint Working Group Meeting on Maritime Cooperation and other operational interactions which include port visits, coordinated Patrols, bilateral exercises, training and hydrography.

Indian Navy to scale up training of Myanmar Navy personnel 

Myanmar is set to be placed on a watchlist by a global finance watchdog this week, amid concerns of money-laundering by transnational drug traffickers and weak regulation of its financial system, two sources familiar with deliberations said.

A decision to put Myanmar on the "grey list" by the Paris-based <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-to-remain-on-the-fatf-grey-list-281389">Financial Action Task Force</a> (FATF) would mean the inter-governmental body had found "strategic deficiencies" in the country's ability to counter money-laundering and terrorism financing.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-to-remain-on-the-fatf-grey-list-281389">Pakistan to remain on FATF grey list</a>

While being on the list does not carry any sanctions, it could curtail the growth of financial, investment and trade flows to and from the Southeast Asian nation, a high-level official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

Kyaw Win Thein, the head of Myanmar's Financial Intelligence Unit who is attending the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-to-remain-on-the-fatf-grey-list-281389">FATF </a>meeting in Paris this week, told Reuters that Myanmar "is not on the grey list so far". Its fate will be decided at a plenary meeting on Thursday, he said.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-to-remain-on-the-fatf-grey-list-281389">FATF </a>typically announces its decisions on Friday at the end of its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-to-remain-on-the-fatf-grey-list-281389">Paris </a>plenary meetings.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fatf-calls-for-stricter-actions-from-pakistan-on-crackdown-of-terror-groups-269771">FATF calls for stricter actions from Pakistan on crackdown of terror groups</a>

Kyaw added that Myanmar's government has developed a strategic implementation plan to improve its ability to counter-money laundering.

He declined to elaborate but <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/is-china-myanmar-economic-corridor-turning-out-to-be-another-cpec-275688">Myanmar </a>recently introduced new requirements for companies to disclose beneficial ownership, and for banks to undertake better customer due diligence. It has also passed laws legalising its casinos after concerns unregulated gaming establishments were being exploited by transnational crime groups.

Two sources with knowledge of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fatf-calls-for-stricter-actions-from-pakistan-on-crackdown-of-terror-groups-269771">FATF's </a>proceedings and its investigation into Myanmar said the watchdog found that implementation of the nation's anti-money laundering action plan was far from complete and it was on track to be put on the grey list at the meetings this week.

Myanmar lies at the heart of the "Golden Triangle" region, the epicentre of illicit drug production and trafficking in the Asia-Pacific. It also has "significant" problems with illegal jade mining, arms trafficking and logging, among other offences, an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/fatf-meet-to-begin-in-paris-today-outcome-to-decide-paks-fate-on-terror-listing-255569">FATF </a>report in 2018 found.

"Myanmar faces extremely high levels of proceeds-generating crimes" and was "exposed to a large number of very significant money laundering threats", the report said.

The report also noted that the "activities of large-scale transnational crime groups" were "closely related" to ethnic armed groups which control swathes of Myanmar's territory.

Myanmar's government is in peace talks with most of those groups and some have been incorporated into Border Guard Forces allied to the country's military.

Meanwhile, corruption remains a "very significant challenge" in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/is-china-myanmar-economic-corridor-turning-out-to-be-another-cpec-275688">Myanmar </a>while its state-owned financial institutions and enterprises were "poorly governed and weakly regulated", the report added.

Twelve countries are on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fatf-calls-for-stricter-actions-from-pakistan-on-crackdown-of-terror-groups-269771">FATF's </a>grey list. Myanmar's expected inclusion on the list follows its first evaluation by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fatf-calls-for-stricter-actions-from-pakistan-on-crackdown-of-terror-groups-269771">FATF </a>since the watchdog changed its assessment methodology in 2012.

Myanmar is set to be placed on a watchlist by a global finance watchdog this week, amid concerns of money-laundering by transnational drug traffickers and weak regulation of its financial system, two sources familiar with deliberations said.

Myanmar is set to be placed on a watchlist by a global finance watchdog this week, amid concerns of money-laundering by transnational drug traffickers and weak regulation of its financial system, two sources familiar with deliberations said. A decision to put Myanmar on the "grey list" by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) would mean the inter-governmental body had found "strategic deficiencies" in the country's ability to counter money-laundering and terrorism financing. Also read: Pakistan to remain on FATF grey list While being on the list does not carry any sanctions, it could curtail the growth of financial, investment and trade flows to and from the Southeast Asian nation, a high-level official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. Kyaw Win Thein, the head of Myanmar's Financial Intelligence Unit who is attending the FATF meeting in Paris this week, told Reuters that Myanmar "is not on the grey list so far". Its fate will be decided at a plenary meeting on Thursday, he said. The FATF typically announces its decisions on Friday at the end of its Paris plenary meetings. Also read: FATF calls for stricter actions from Pakistan on crackdown of terror groups Kyaw added that Myanmar's government has developed a strategic implementation plan to improve its ability to counter-money laundering. He declined to elaborate but Myanmar recently introduced new requirements for companies to disclose beneficial ownership, and for banks to undertake better customer due diligence. It has also passed laws legalising its casinos after concerns unregulated gaming establishments were being exploited by transnational crime groups. Two sources with knowledge of the FATF's proceedings and its investigation into Myanmar said the watchdog found that implementation of the nation's anti-money laundering action plan was far from complete and it was on track to be put on the grey list at the meetings this week. Myanmar lies at the heart of the "Golden Triangle" region, the epicentre of illicit drug production and trafficking in the Asia-Pacific. It also has "significant" problems with illegal jade mining, arms trafficking and logging, among other offences, an FATF report in 2018 found. "Myanmar faces extremely high levels of proceeds-generating crimes" and was "exposed to a large number of very significant money laundering threats", the report said. The report also noted that the "activities of large-scale transnational crime groups" were "closely related" to ethnic armed groups which control swathes of Myanmar's territory. Myanmar's government is in peace talks with most of those groups and some have been incorporated into Border Guard Forces allied to the country's military. Meanwhile, corruption remains a "very significant challenge" in Myanmar while its state-owned financial institutions and enterprises were "poorly governed and weakly regulated", the report added. Twelve countries are on the FATF's grey list. Myanmar's expected inclusion on the list follows its first evaluation by the FATF since the watchdog changed its assessment methodology in 2012.

Myanmar set to be placed on global money laundering watchlist: Report

Outrage is growing in Myanmar after the emergence of a 12-minute porn video shot in Bagan, the country's best-known tourist hotspot and UNESCO heritage site of thousands of hallowed Buddhist pagodas.

The video was posted on PornHub by users "YeeesYeeesYeees", who describe themselves as a 23-year-old Italian couple with piercings and tattoos.

According to the site, the pair boasts more than 81,000 subscribers and over 35 million video views since they joined 11 months ago.

But the couple's naked antics against one of Bagan's ancient pagodas have been less than well-received in Myanmar, with condemnation spreading online.

"Our Bagan pagodas are The Holy Land," wrote Mg Khin Gyi on Facebook with multiple angry emojis.

The video in question had been viewed nearly a quarter of a million times by Thursday evening -- but had registered twice as many dislikes as likes.

Managing Director of New Fantastic Asia tour company, Tun Tun Naing, questioned what seemed to be "negligent" security at Bagan's sites and called for action.

Mandalay chairman of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association Myo Yee added his voice to the rising clamour, saying the case was bad news for an industry hit hard by coronavirus woes.

"It's a difficult time for us because not many tourists are coming here," he told AFP.

Outrage is growing in Myanmar after the emergence of a 12-minute porn video shot in Bagan, the country's best-known tourist hotspot and UNESCO heritage site of thousands of hallowed Buddhist pagodas.

Outrage is growing in Myanmar after the emergence of a 12-minute porn video shot in Bagan, the country's best-known tourist hotspot and UNESCO heritage site of thousands of hallowed Buddhist pagodas. The video was posted on PornHub by users "YeeesYeeesYeees", who describe themselves as a 23-year-old Italian couple with piercings and tattoos. According to the site, the pair boasts more than 81,000 subscribers and over 35 million video views since they joined 11 months ago. But the couple's naked antics against one of Bagan's ancient pagodas have been less than well-received in Myanmar, with condemnation spreading online. "Our Bagan pagodas are The Holy Land," wrote Mg Khin Gyi on Facebook with multiple angry emojis. The video in question had been viewed nearly a quarter of a million times by Thursday evening -- but had registered twice as many dislikes as likes. Managing Director of New Fantastic Asia tour company, Tun Tun Naing, questioned what seemed to be "negligent" security at Bagan's sites and called for action. Mandalay chairman of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association Myo Yee added his voice to the rising clamour, saying the case was bad news for an industry hit hard by coronavirus woes. "It's a difficult time for us because not many tourists are coming here," he told AFP.

Italian couple shoots porn at Buddhist holy site in Myanmar, triggers outrage

At&nbsp;least&nbsp;15&nbsp;women and children drowned and more than 50 others were missing&nbsp;after&nbsp;a&nbsp;boat&nbsp;overloaded with Rohingya&nbsp;refugees&nbsp;sank&nbsp;off&nbsp;southern&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-rohingya-drown-as-refugee-boat-capsizes-off-bangladesh-23209">Bangladesh&nbsp;</a>as it tried to reach Malaysia Tuesday, officials said.

Some 138 people mainly women and children were packed on a trawler barely 13 metres&nbsp;long, trying to cross the Bay of Bengal, a coast guard spokesman told AFP.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-rohingya-drown-as-refugee-boat-capsizes-off-bangladesh-23209">Rohingyas drown as refugee boat capsizes off Bangladesh</a>

"It sank because of overloading. The&nbsp;boat&nbsp;was meant to carry maximum 50 people. The&nbsp;boat&nbsp;was also loaded with some cargo," another coast guard spokesman, Hamidul Islam,&nbsp;added.&nbsp;

Nearly one million <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-rohingya-drown-as-refugee-boat-capsizes-off-bangladesh-23209">Rohingya </a>live in squalid camps near&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-rohingya-drown-as-refugee-boat-capsizes-off-bangladesh-23209">Bangladesh</a>'s border with Myanmar, many fleeing the neighbouring country&nbsp;after&nbsp;a 2017 brutal military crackdown.

With few opportunities for jobs and education in the camps, thousands have tried to reach other countries like Malaysia and Thailand by attempting the hazardous 2,000-kilometre journey.

In the latest incident, 71 people have been rescued including 46 women. Among the dead, 11 were women and the rest children.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-police-rescue-dozens-of-rohingya-being-trafficked-to-malaysia-218629">Bangladesh police 'rescue' dozens of Rohingya being trafficked to Malaysia</a>

Anwara Begum said two of her sons, aged six and seven, drowned in the tragedy.

"We were four of us in the&nbsp;boat...another child (son, aged 10) is very sick," the 40-year-old told said.

Fishermen tipped&nbsp;off&nbsp;the coast guard&nbsp;after&nbsp;they saw survivors swimming and crying for help in the sea.

The&nbsp;boat's keel hit undersea coral in shallow water&nbsp;off&nbsp;Saint Martin's Island,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-police-rescue-dozens-of-rohingya-being-trafficked-to-malaysia-218629">Bangladesh</a>'s southernmost territory, before it sank, survivors said.

"We swam in the sea before boats came and rescued us," said survivor Mohammad Hossain, 20.

Coast guard commander Sohel Rana said three survivors, including a Bangladeshi, were detained over human trafficking allegations.

An estimated 25,000 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-rohingya-drown-as-refugee-boat-capsizes-off-bangladesh-23209">Rohingya </a>left&nbsp;Bangladesh&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-rohingya-drown-as-refugee-boat-capsizes-off-bangladesh-23209">Myanmar </a>on boats in 2015 trying to get to Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Hundreds drowned when overloaded boats sank.

At least 15 women and children drowned and more than 50 others were missing after a boat overloaded with Rohingya refugees sank off southern Bangladesh as it tried to reach Malaysia Tuesday, officials said.

At least 15 women and children drowned and more than 50 others were missing after a boat overloaded with Rohingya refugees sank off southern Bangladesh as it tried to reach Malaysia Tuesday, officials said. Some 138 people mainly women and children were packed on a trawler barely 13 metres long, trying to cross the Bay of Bengal, a coast guard spokesman told AFP. Also read: Rohingyas drown as refugee boat capsizes off Bangladesh "It sank because of overloading. The boat was meant to carry maximum 50 people. The boat was also loaded with some cargo," another coast guard spokesman, Hamidul Islam, added. Nearly one million Rohingya live in squalid camps near Bangladesh's border with Myanmar, many fleeing the neighbouring country after a 2017 brutal military crackdown. With few opportunities for jobs and education in the camps, thousands have tried to reach other countries like Malaysia and Thailand by attempting the hazardous 2,000-kilometre journey. In the latest incident, 71 people have been rescued including 46 women. Among the dead, 11 were women and the rest children. Also read: Bangladesh police 'rescue' dozens of Rohingya being trafficked to Malaysia Anwara Begum said two of her sons, aged six and seven, drowned in the tragedy. "We were four of us in the boat...another child (son, aged 10) is very sick," the 40-year-old told said. Fishermen tipped off the coast guard after they saw survivors swimming and crying for help in the sea. The boat's keel hit undersea coral in shallow water off Saint Martin's Island, Bangladesh's southernmost territory, before it sank, survivors said. "We swam in the sea before boats came and rescued us," said survivor Mohammad Hossain, 20. Coast guard commander Sohel Rana said three survivors, including a Bangladeshi, were detained over human trafficking allegations. An estimated 25,000 Rohingya left Bangladesh and Myanmar on boats in 2015 trying to get to Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Hundreds drowned when overloaded boats sank.

At least 15 refugees drown after boat sinks off Bangladesh

Hundreds of Myanmar nationalists rallied in the country's commercial capital on Sunday in a show of support for the military, amid tensions between the civilian government and the army ahead of elections expected later this year.

Around a thousand protesters marched from Yangon's famed Shwedagon pagoda to City Hall downtown to accuse the administration of Aung San Suu Kyi of allegedly failing to protect the country's Buddhist majority and for proposing constitutional amendments that would reduce the power of the military.

The proposed reforms have led to tensions between Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) and military lawmakers, who hold a veto over amendments.

Speaking at the rally, nationalist activist Win Ko Ko Latt criticised those planning to push through the reforms, comparing them to the deadly coronavirus outbreak in China.

"We can see how deadly the Wuhan virus is," he said, referring to the Chinese city where the outbreak was believed to have originated.

"I declare from here that those people who are trying to change (the constitution) are more frightening than the Wuhan virus."

Government spokesman Zaw Htay and NLD spokesman Myo Nyunt did not respond to calls from Reuters seeking comment.

Other speakers at the rally protested against remarks made by Myanmar's religious minister last month in which he allegedly blamed the military-controlled Home Affairs ministry for the government's failure to arrest several nationalist figures for sedition and inciting violence.

The figures include nationalist monk Wirathu, who is known for his harsh rhetoric against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority.

Police issued an arrest warrant for Wirathu last year after he criticised the civilian government and made fiery speeches targeting Suu Kyi.

Protesters were seen carrying banners saying "No Rohingya" during Sunday's rally, the first held in support of the military since the United Nations' highest court ordered Myanmar to take measures to protect the minority group last month.

More than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims were forced to flee northern Rakhine state in 2017 after a military crackdown that the United Nations has said was executed with genocidal intent.

The army has denied any wrongdoing, describing the crackdown as a legitimate counter-insurgency operation in response to attacks on security forces by Rohingya militants.

Hundreds of Myanmar nationalists rallied in the country's commercial capital on Sunday in a show of support for the military, amid tensions between the civilian government and the army ahead of elections expected later this year.

Hundreds of Myanmar nationalists rallied in the country's commercial capital on Sunday in a show of support for the military, amid tensions between the civilian government and the army ahead of elections expected later this year. Around a thousand protesters marched from Yangon's famed Shwedagon pagoda to City Hall downtown to accuse the administration of Aung San Suu Kyi of allegedly failing to protect the country's Buddhist majority and for proposing constitutional amendments that would reduce the power of the military. The proposed reforms have led to tensions between Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) and military lawmakers, who hold a veto over amendments. Speaking at the rally, nationalist activist Win Ko Ko Latt criticised those planning to push through the reforms, comparing them to the deadly coronavirus outbreak in China. "We can see how deadly the Wuhan virus is," he said, referring to the Chinese city where the outbreak was believed to have originated. "I declare from here that those people who are trying to change (the constitution) are more frightening than the Wuhan virus." Government spokesman Zaw Htay and NLD spokesman Myo Nyunt did not respond to calls from Reuters seeking comment. Other speakers at the rally protested against remarks made by Myanmar's religious minister last month in which he allegedly blamed the military-controlled Home Affairs ministry for the government's failure to arrest several nationalist figures for sedition and inciting violence. The figures include nationalist monk Wirathu, who is known for his harsh rhetoric against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority. Police issued an arrest warrant for Wirathu last year after he criticised the civilian government and made fiery speeches targeting Suu Kyi. Protesters were seen carrying banners saying "No Rohingya" during Sunday's rally, the first held in support of the military since the United Nations' highest court ordered Myanmar to take measures to protect the minority group last month. More than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims were forced to flee northern Rakhine state in 2017 after a military crackdown that the United Nations has said was executed with genocidal intent. The army has denied any wrongdoing, describing the crackdown as a legitimate counter-insurgency operation in response to attacks on security forces by Rohingya militants.

Myanmar nationalists hold pro-military rally amid tensions with government

A series of recent measures in Saudi Arabia and Iran that violate the rights, if not endanger religious and ethnic minorities call into question their moral claims of adhering to core faith-based values of mercy and compassion.

If anything, the two arch-rivals compete in violating the rights of minorities like Uighurs threatened with deportation to China where they run the risk of being incarcerated in re-education camps in the troubled, north-western province of Xinjiang; Rohingyas who have been the victims of ethnic cleansing in Myanmar; and persecuted Bahais and other religious minorities in Iran.

Saudi and Iranian policies seem more in line with those of authoritarian and autocratic leaders who often seek their legitimacy in civilisationalism that emphasises the supremacy of a distinct civilization at the expense of others rather than principles of humanitarianism.

The plight of threatened Muslim majorities alongside potential different Muslim responses to US President Donald Trump’s controversial Israeli-Palestinian peace plan that favours Israel is likely to sharpen a struggle for leadership of the Islamic world between a Saudi-UAE-led alliance and countries like Turkey, Iran and Malaysia.

Backed by Turkey and Iran, Malaysia last month organised an Islamic summit in Kuala Lumpur that failed to live up to its billing of defending the rights of endangered Muslim minorities. Nonetheless, the summit sparked ripples in various Muslim nations in the Middle East as well as Asia.

Beyond Iran and Saudi Arabia’s overall abuse of universal human rights, recent reports highlight their failure to ensure the safety and rights of persecuted minorities – a principle that was left, right and centre in this week’s commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the German extermination camp in Poland.

“Auschwitz did not fall from the sky,” said 93-year-old historian and Auschwitz survivor Marian Turski.. He argued that Auschwitz was the result of thousands of small steps that stripped minorities of their dignity and humanity. “The 11th commandment is thou shalt not be indifferent. Do not be indifferent when any minority is discriminated against,” Turski said.

The Saudi deportation of Uighurs who are caught in a no-man’s land given the blanket refusal by Chinese diplomatic missions to extend their passports as part of its brutal crackdown on Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, casts a shadow over a visit this month to Auschwitz by Mohammed Al-Issa, the first by a senior Saudi cleric.

Al-Issa’s visit was designed to project the kingdom under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has defended the crackdown, as a religiously tolerant country that has broken with the intolerant aspects of ultra-conservative Islam, not only in its discrimination against women but also in its attitudes towards other faiths and minority groups.

Al-Issa heads the Muslim World League that for decades was one of the prime Saudi vehicles for the global promotion and funding of Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism.

The world must ensure that “these kinds of horrible crimes” will never “happen again,” Al-Issa said in Auschwitz, echoing statements by multiple Auschwitz survivors who insisted that ‘never again’ was a principle applicable to all persecuted minorities, not just Jews.

Al-Issa’s statement may well have been genuine. “His face reflected feelings of shock and sadness as he looked at piles of used canisters of Zyklon-B, the gas used to suffocate victims, along with mounds of eyeglasses, shoes, prayer shawls, and human hair that the Nazis collected from incoming prisoners,” The Times of Israel reported.

“Unfortunately, humanity is still suffering from these kinds of crimes on a large scale today, different human beings against each other. I believe there is a huge responsibility on the international community to do something to deal with these kinds of horrible crimes and to make sure none of this will happen again. Our world will not be able to achieve peace unless we have a strong will together to fight evil,” Al-Issa said in Auschwitz.

Fighting evil would mean that arrangements are found for Uighurs rendered without valid documents as a result of Chinese policy, if not in the kingdom itself in cooperation with other countries rather than exposing them to the risk of indefinite incarceration.

It would also mean adopting a compassionate attitude towards the approximately 250,000 Rohingya who have sought refuge in the kingdom from ethnic and religious persecution in Myanmar where they are denied basic rights.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) last week ordered Myanmar to adopt provisional measures to prevent further attempts at genocide against the roughly 600,000 members of the Rohingya Muslim minority remaining in Myanmar. Some 750,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh in recent years to escape what the United Nations called ethnic cleansing.

Rohingya began migrating to Saudi Arabia in the 1950s and were granted residency by King Feisal in 1973, allowing them to live, work and travel within the kingdom and abroad.

Thousands of Rohingya have, however, been expelled in recent years as illegal immigrants or because they entered the kingdom on false documents, the only papers available to them, as part of Prince Mohammed’s efforts to reduce dependence on foreign labour and increase employment opportunities for Saudi nationals.

By the same token, Iran this week ruled that national identity cards would only be issued to adherents of the three minority religions recognized by the country’s constitution, Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism.

The ruling eliminated the category ‘other’ on the application forms for the card that is needed to access government and banking services as well as numerous other transactions.

The ruling targets Baha’is, members of a sect viewed as a heretic by mainstream Islam, and other sects, forcing them to lie to obtain the identity card.

Baha’i leaders have been imprisoned and those who openly follow the faith are routinely denied university education and employment, while members of the community have seen their businesses shut down and land confiscated by the state.

Iran’s National Organisation For Civil Registration, responding to a complaint about the omission of the ‘other’ option, advised the Baha’i complainant to in effect disavow his faith and fill out the form with incorrect information.

“Dear citizen, we wish you health. The law neither recognises your religion nor offers a solution. You may submit your application under existing options,” the authority said. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

A series of recent measures in Saudi Arabia and Iran that violate the rights, if not endanger religious and ethnic minorities call into question their moral claims of adhering to core faith-based values of mercy and compassion.

A series of recent measures in Saudi Arabia and Iran that violate the rights, if not endanger religious and ethnic minorities call into question their moral claims of adhering to core faith-based values of mercy and compassion. If anything, the two arch-rivals compete in violating the rights of minorities like Uighurs threatened with deportation to China where they run the risk of being incarcerated in re-education camps in the troubled, north-western province of Xinjiang; Rohingyas who have been the victims of ethnic cleansing in Myanmar; and persecuted Bahais and other religious minorities in Iran. Saudi and Iranian policies seem more in line with those of authoritarian and autocratic leaders who often seek their legitimacy in civilisationalism that emphasises the supremacy of a distinct civilization at the expense of others rather than principles of humanitarianism. The plight of threatened Muslim majorities alongside potential different Muslim responses to US President Donald Trump’s controversial Israeli-Palestinian peace plan that favours Israel is likely to sharpen a struggle for leadership of the Islamic world between a Saudi-UAE-led alliance and countries like Turkey, Iran and Malaysia. Backed by Turkey and Iran, Malaysia last month organised an Islamic summit in Kuala Lumpur that failed to live up to its billing of defending the rights of endangered Muslim minorities. Nonetheless, the summit sparked ripples in various Muslim nations in the Middle East as well as Asia. Beyond Iran and Saudi Arabia’s overall abuse of universal human rights, recent reports highlight their failure to ensure the safety and rights of persecuted minorities – a principle that was left, right and centre in this week’s commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the German extermination camp in Poland. “Auschwitz did not fall from the sky,” said 93-year-old historian and Auschwitz survivor Marian Turski.. He argued that Auschwitz was the result of thousands of small steps that stripped minorities of their dignity and humanity. “The 11th commandment is thou shalt not be indifferent. Do not be indifferent when any minority is discriminated against,” Turski said. The Saudi deportation of Uighurs who are caught in a no-man’s land given the blanket refusal by Chinese diplomatic missions to extend their passports as part of its brutal crackdown on Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, casts a shadow over a visit this month to Auschwitz by Mohammed Al-Issa, the first by a senior Saudi cleric. Al-Issa’s visit was designed to project the kingdom under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has defended the crackdown, as a religiously tolerant country that has broken with the intolerant aspects of ultra-conservative Islam, not only in its discrimination against women but also in its attitudes towards other faiths and minority groups. Al-Issa heads the Muslim World League that for decades was one of the prime Saudi vehicles for the global promotion and funding of Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism. The world must ensure that “these kinds of horrible crimes” will never “happen again,” Al-Issa said in Auschwitz, echoing statements by multiple Auschwitz survivors who insisted that ‘never again’ was a principle applicable to all persecuted minorities, not just Jews. Al-Issa’s statement may well have been genuine. “His face reflected feelings of shock and sadness as he looked at piles of used canisters of Zyklon-B, the gas used to suffocate victims, along with mounds of eyeglasses, shoes, prayer shawls, and human hair that the Nazis collected from incoming prisoners,” The Times of Israel reported. “Unfortunately, humanity is still suffering from these kinds of crimes on a large scale today, different human beings against each other. I believe there is a huge responsibility on the international community to do something to deal with these kinds of horrible crimes and to make sure none of this will happen again. Our world will not be able to achieve peace unless we have a strong will together to fight evil,” Al-Issa said in Auschwitz. Fighting evil would mean that arrangements are found for Uighurs rendered without valid documents as a result of Chinese policy, if not in the kingdom itself in cooperation with other countries rather than exposing them to the risk of indefinite incarceration. It would also mean adopting a compassionate attitude towards the approximately 250,000 Rohingya who have sought refuge in the kingdom from ethnic and religious persecution in Myanmar where they are denied basic rights. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) last week ordered Myanmar to adopt provisional measures to prevent further attempts at genocide against the roughly 600,000 members of the Rohingya Muslim minority remaining in Myanmar. Some 750,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh in recent years to escape what the United Nations called ethnic cleansing. Rohingya began migrating to Saudi Arabia in the 1950s and were granted residency by King Feisal in 1973, allowing them to live, work and travel within the kingdom and abroad. Thousands of Rohingya have, however, been expelled in recent years as illegal immigrants or because they entered the kingdom on false documents, the only papers available to them, as part of Prince Mohammed’s efforts to reduce dependence on foreign labour and increase employment opportunities for Saudi nationals. By the same token, Iran this week ruled that national identity cards would only be issued to adherents of the three minority religions recognized by the country’s constitution, Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism. The ruling eliminated the category ‘other’ on the application forms for the card that is needed to access government and banking services as well as numerous other transactions. The ruling targets Baha’is, members of a sect viewed as a heretic by mainstream Islam, and other sects, forcing them to lie to obtain the identity card. Baha’i leaders have been imprisoned and those who openly follow the faith are routinely denied university education and employment, while members of the community have seen their businesses shut down and land confiscated by the state. Iran’s National Organisation For Civil Registration, responding to a complaint about the omission of the ‘other’ option, advised the Baha’i complainant to in effect disavow his faith and fill out the form with incorrect information. “Dear citizen, we wish you health. The law neither recognises your religion nor offers a solution. You may submit your application under existing options,” the authority said. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Saudi Arabia and Iran: No place for persecuted minorities

Two Rohingya women were killed and seven others injured in shelling the Myanmar military and insurgents blamed on each other, days after the UN's top court ordered the country to protect the beleaguered Muslim minority.

Military spokesperson Zaw Min Tun told AFP said that one woman was killed on the spot by "heavy weapons" while another died after arriving at a hospital in conflict-torn northern Rakhine state.

He blamed the deaths on incursions by the Arakan Army, rebels fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in the same area where the Rohingya crisis unfolded.

But a spokesperson for the Arakan Army said there had been no fighting with the military in that area and they are "accusing and faking it".

The conflict has seen scores of civilians killed, hundreds wounded and some 100,000 displaced in the past year.

Earlier this month four Rohingya children were killed and five others injured alongside their teacher after an explosion hit while they collected firewood.&nbsp;

Northern Rakhine was the site of a violent military campaign in 2017 that drove some 740,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh and prompted allegations of genocide.

Hundreds of thousands still live in Rakhine in what rights groups have called apartheid-like conditions.

In a rare legal decision for the persecuted minority, the International Court of Justice ruled Thursday that Myanmar had to "take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts" described by the 1948 UN Genocide Convention.

These acts include "killing members of the group" and "deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part."

The mainly Muslim African state of The Gambia had asked the court to impose the emergency measures -- pending a full case that could take years.

The court also ordered Myanmar to report back within four months, and then every six months after that.&nbsp;

Its ruling is binding but the court has no power of enforcement.

Judges rejected arguments made by Myanmar civilian leader and former human rights icon Aung San Suu Kyi when she travelled to The Hague in December to personally defend the country against the accusations.

Myanmar has said it carried out its own investigation and disputed the claims that genocide took place. 
&nbsp;

Two Rohingya women were killed and seven others injured in shelling the Myanmar military and insurgents blamed on each other, days after the UN's top court ordered the country to protect the beleaguered Muslim minority.

Two Rohingya women were killed and seven others injured in shelling the Myanmar military and insurgents blamed on each other, days after the UN's top court ordered the country to protect the beleaguered Muslim minority. Military spokesperson Zaw Min Tun told AFP said that one woman was killed on the spot by "heavy weapons" while another died after arriving at a hospital in conflict-torn northern Rakhine state. He blamed the deaths on incursions by the Arakan Army, rebels fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in the same area where the Rohingya crisis unfolded. But a spokesperson for the Arakan Army said there had been no fighting with the military in that area and they are "accusing and faking it". The conflict has seen scores of civilians killed, hundreds wounded and some 100,000 displaced in the past year. Earlier this month four Rohingya children were killed and five others injured alongside their teacher after an explosion hit while they collected firewood. Northern Rakhine was the site of a violent military campaign in 2017 that drove some 740,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh and prompted allegations of genocide. Hundreds of thousands still live in Rakhine in what rights groups have called apartheid-like conditions. In a rare legal decision for the persecuted minority, the International Court of Justice ruled Thursday that Myanmar had to "take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts" described by the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. These acts include "killing members of the group" and "deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part." The mainly Muslim African state of The Gambia had asked the court to impose the emergency measures -- pending a full case that could take years. The court also ordered Myanmar to report back within four months, and then every six months after that. Its ruling is binding but the court has no power of enforcement. Judges rejected arguments made by Myanmar civilian leader and former human rights icon Aung San Suu Kyi when she travelled to The Hague in December to personally defend the country against the accusations. Myanmar has said it carried out its own investigation and disputed the claims that genocide took place.

Two Rohingya women killed in Myanmar shelling

The International Court Of Justice has ordered Myanmar to protect the Rohingyas from genocide. What does this judgment mean for Aung San Suu Kyi? Watch this report from Gravitas.

Gravitas: ICJ tells Myanmar to end Rohingya Genocide

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-suu-kyi-arrives-at-un-court-for-genocide-hearings-267407">Myanmar</a> has put in place measures to protect Rohingya Muslims, a spokesman for the ruling party said on Friday, shrugging off an order from the International Court of Justice a day earlier to stop genocidal acts against the ethnic minority.

The Hague-based court-ordered Myanmar to protect the persecuted <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/the-rohingya-crisis-what-to-watch-for-in-2019-187973">Rohingya</a> against further atrocities and preserve evidence of alleged crimes, after mostly Muslim Gambia launched a lawsuit in November accusing Myanmar of genocide.

"The government is already doing most of the orders," Myo Nyunt, a spokesman for the ruling <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-court-frames-new-charges-against-saffron-revolution-leader-1522">National League for Democracy</a>, told Reuters by phone, without elaborating.

"One more thing we need to do is submit reports," he said, referring to one of several measures approved by the court requiring Myanmar to write regular summaries of its progress.

But he said the civilian government, who rule jointly with the military in an awkward constitutional arrangement that reserves great powers for the commander-in-chief, could not control troops.

"Under the current political circumstances, we have difficulties solving some issues - such as the (order) that the government must ensure its military or armed insurgents do not commit genocide or attempt to commit genocide against Rohingya or Bengali," he said.

More than 730,000 Rohingya fled western Rakhine state for neighbouring Bangladesh in 2017 to escape a military-led crackdown that the U.N has said was executed with genocidal intent. Myanmar says the military campaign was a legitimate counter-insurgency operation launched in response to militant attacks on security forces.

Some 600,000 Rohingya remain inside Myanmar, confined in apartheid-like conditions to camps and villages, unable to freely access healthcare and education.

They are derided as "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dont-call-them-bengalis-call-them-bangladesh-says-pakistan-skipper-sarfaraz-ahmed-to-journo-234088">Bengalis</a>", implying they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, despite tracing their history in Rakhine back centuries.

The court said in its judgment on Thursday it did not accept Myanmar’s assertion that it has been taking steps to facilitate the return of refugees, promote peace in Rakhine, and hold the military accountable through domestic mechanisms.

"In particular, the Court notes that Myanmar has not presented to the Court concrete measures aimed specifically at recognizing and ensuring the right of the Rohingya to exist as a protected group under the Genocide Convention," it said.

While Thursday's ruling was an emotional victory for the minority, who have for decades fought to prove their existence as an ethnic group, legal analysts said it will be difficult to force Myanmar to comply.

In a statement late Thursday, the ministry of foreign affairs said it had noted the ruling but did not mention specific steps it was taking. The next morning the front page of the state-run newspaper the Global New Light of Myanmar read: "Myanmar takes note of ICJ decision. There was no genocide in Rakhine".

While the measures are legally binding, there is no enforcement mechanism.

In separate statements on Friday, Britain and Malaysia urged Myanmar to fully implement the measures. UN&nbsp;human rights spokeswoman Liz Throssell told a UN&nbsp;briefing in Geneva the office "calls on Myanmar to immediately and unconditionally implement them in full".

"We know that there are limitations but it’s very important for the Rohingya community in Bangladesh and in Myanmar to know that the world has heard them, the highest court in the land has made this decision," said human rights lawyer Antonia Mulvey.

Kobsak Chutikul, a Thai diplomat who in 2018 quit a government-appointed panel set up to probe the alleged atrocities, said he feared the government would "delay and obfuscate" once the spotlight faded.

Of dozens of people interviewed by Reuters in Yangon, Myanmar's commercial capital, only two were aware of the judgment, and neither of them paid much heed.

"I already knew that Myanmar would lose this case since the other side is funded by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/6-times-islamic-countries-honoured-pm-modi-with-their-highest-awards-245560">Islamic countries</a>," said a civil servant, who also asked not to be named.

Myanmar has put in place measures to protect Rohingya Muslims, a spokesman for the ruling party said on Friday, shrugging off an order from the International Court of Justice a day earlier to stop genocidal acts against the ethnic minority.

Myanmar has put in place measures to protect Rohingya Muslims, a spokesman for the ruling party said on Friday, shrugging off an order from the International Court of Justice a day earlier to stop genocidal acts against the ethnic minority. The Hague-based court-ordered Myanmar to protect the persecuted Rohingya against further atrocities and preserve evidence of alleged crimes, after mostly Muslim Gambia launched a lawsuit in November accusing Myanmar of genocide. "The government is already doing most of the orders," Myo Nyunt, a spokesman for the ruling National League for Democracy, told Reuters by phone, without elaborating. "One more thing we need to do is submit reports," he said, referring to one of several measures approved by the court requiring Myanmar to write regular summaries of its progress. But he said the civilian government, who rule jointly with the military in an awkward constitutional arrangement that reserves great powers for the commander-in-chief, could not control troops. "Under the current political circumstances, we have difficulties solving some issues - such as the (order) that the government must ensure its military or armed insurgents do not commit genocide or attempt to commit genocide against Rohingya or Bengali," he said. More than 730,000 Rohingya fled western Rakhine state for neighbouring Bangladesh in 2017 to escape a military-led crackdown that the U.N has said was executed with genocidal intent. Myanmar says the military campaign was a legitimate counter-insurgency operation launched in response to militant attacks on security forces. Some 600,000 Rohingya remain inside Myanmar, confined in apartheid-like conditions to camps and villages, unable to freely access healthcare and education. They are derided as "Bengalis", implying they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, despite tracing their history in Rakhine back centuries. The court said in its judgment on Thursday it did not accept Myanmar’s assertion that it has been taking steps to facilitate the return of refugees, promote peace in Rakhine, and hold the military accountable through domestic mechanisms. "In particular, the Court notes that Myanmar has not presented to the Court concrete measures aimed specifically at recognizing and ensuring the right of the Rohingya to exist as a protected group under the Genocide Convention," it said. While Thursday's ruling was an emotional victory for the minority, who have for decades fought to prove their existence as an ethnic group, legal analysts said it will be difficult to force Myanmar to comply. In a statement late Thursday, the ministry of foreign affairs said it had noted the ruling but did not mention specific steps it was taking. The next morning the front page of the state-run newspaper the Global New Light of Myanmar read: "Myanmar takes note of ICJ decision. There was no genocide in Rakhine". While the measures are legally binding, there is no enforcement mechanism. In separate statements on Friday, Britain and Malaysia urged Myanmar to fully implement the measures. UN human rights spokeswoman Liz Throssell told a UN briefing in Geneva the office "calls on Myanmar to immediately and unconditionally implement them in full". "We know that there are limitations but it’s very important for the Rohingya community in Bangladesh and in Myanmar to know that the world has heard them, the highest court in the land has made this decision," said human rights lawyer Antonia Mulvey. Kobsak Chutikul, a Thai diplomat who in 2018 quit a government-appointed panel set up to probe the alleged atrocities, said he feared the government would "delay and obfuscate" once the spotlight faded. Of dozens of people interviewed by Reuters in Yangon, Myanmar's commercial capital, only two were aware of the judgment, and neither of them paid much heed. "I already knew that Myanmar would lose this case since the other side is funded by the Islamic countries," said a civil servant, who also asked not to be named.

Myanmar already protecting Rohingyas, says ruling party after ICJ order

International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the Rohingya Genocide case in Myanmar. ICJ refused Myanmar's request to dismiss the case. ICJ read the verdict in Hague, Netherlands.

WION Dispatch: ICJ orders steps to protect Rohingya Muslims

ICJ rules on Myanmar Rohingya Genocide case

The International Court of Justice on Thursday (January 23) is set to rule on a request for emergency measures to Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority do not worsen before it hears the case accusing the country of genocide.

World Court to rule on emergency measures in Rohingya genocide case

A government-appointed panel found no<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/icj-ruling-on-urgent-measures-in-rohingya-case-on-january-23-gambia-274450"> 'genocide' against the Rohingya Muslim minorit</a>y in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-stands-with-myanmar-despite-rohingya-backlash-inks-dozens-of-deals-275123">Myanmar's Rakhine state</a>.&nbsp;

Describing the situation as 'internal armed conflict' the panel, blamed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rights-group-denounces-japan-envoy-for-disturbing-comments-on-myanmar-rohingya-274443">Rohingya militants</a> for attacking 30 police posts and "provoking" the crackdown.

In the report, the panel also said that there are "reasonable grounds" to conclude that the members of the security forces were among the "multiple actors" responsible for possible war crimes and serious human rights violations.

But, the Independent Commission of Enquiry (ICOE) also said that they did not "found any evidence suggesting that these killings or acts of displacement were committed pursuant to intent or plan to destroy the Muslim or any other community in northern Rakhine State."

"There is insufficient evidence to argue, much less conclude, that the crimes committed were undertaken with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, or with any other requisite mental state for the international crime of genocide," the ICOE statement read.

Watch | UNGA condemns human rights violation against Rohingyas in Myanmar

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The latest statement came as the panel which was probing the allegations of abuses in Rakhine in 2017, finalised its full report based on interviews with villagers and members of the security forces

Global outrage was sparked in 2017 after over 730,000 Rohingya fled Rakhine state during weeks of brutal violence. &nbsp;According to reports, hundreds of villages were burned and women were gang-raped.

During the violence, the United Nations had said that the gang rapes and mass killings were carried out with "genocidal intent".&nbsp;

The International Court of Justice, the highest U.N. court, will this week issue a decision on a request for emergency measures in a genocide case against the country.

Gambia filed the suit in November alleging Myanmar was committing "an ongoing genocide" against the Rohingya.

The commission of enquiry was formed in 2018 as the country faced growing calls for accountability.

The government-appointed two local and two international members – Filipino diplomat Rosario Manalo and Kenzo Oshima, a former Japanese ambassador to the United Nations.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

A government-appointed panel found no 'genocide' against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar's Rakhine state. Describing the situation as 'internal armed conflict' the panel, blamed Rohingya militants for attacking 30 police posts and "provoking" the crackdown.

A government-appointed panel found no 'genocide' against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar's Rakhine state. Describing the situation as 'internal armed conflict' the panel, blamed Rohingya militants for attacking 30 police posts and "provoking" the crackdown. In the report, the panel also said that there are "reasonable grounds" to conclude that the members of the security forces were among the "multiple actors" responsible for possible war crimes and serious human rights violations. But, the Independent Commission of Enquiry (ICOE) also said that they did not "found any evidence suggesting that these killings or acts of displacement were committed pursuant to intent or plan to destroy the Muslim or any other community in northern Rakhine State." "There is insufficient evidence to argue, much less conclude, that the crimes committed were undertaken with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, or with any other requisite mental state for the international crime of genocide," the ICOE statement read. Watch | UNGA condemns human rights violation against Rohingyas in Myanmar × The latest statement came as the panel which was probing the allegations of abuses in Rakhine in 2017, finalised its full report based on interviews with villagers and members of the security forces Global outrage was sparked in 2017 after over 730,000 Rohingya fled Rakhine state during weeks of brutal violence. According to reports, hundreds of villages were burned and women were gang-raped. During the violence, the United Nations had said that the gang rapes and mass killings were carried out with "genocidal intent". The International Court of Justice, the highest U.N. court, will this week issue a decision on a request for emergency measures in a genocide case against the country. Gambia filed the suit in November alleging Myanmar was committing "an ongoing genocide" against the Rohingya. The commission of enquiry was formed in 2018 as the country faced growing calls for accountability. The government-appointed two local and two international members – Filipino diplomat Rosario Manalo and Kenzo Oshima, a former Japanese ambassador to the United Nations. (With inputs from agencies)

'Internal armed conflict': Govt-appointed panel finds no 'genocide' against Rohingya in Myanmar

In a sharp departure from its official policy of non-interference in the affairs of other countries, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-myanmar-sign-33-agreements-275157">China has positioned itself</a> as the key mediator in resolving the protracted crisis. The main sticking point is a disagreement over whether the refugees will be safe in Myanmar.

Myanmar says it has created safe conditions for the Rohingya's return, but Bangladesh and the United Nations say that fighting in Rakhine and a lack of human rights guarantees make a return for the refugees dangerous. The Rohingya, meanwhile, say they will not go back without guarantees of rights they are currently denied, including citizenship and freedom of movement.

<img alt="Rohingya refugee children" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="340a6c5c-385c-47e8-ae22-b501e6418a65" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202020-01-20T143931.223_0.jpg" /> 
[&nbsp;A boy holds a placard as hundreds of Rohingya refugees protest against their repatriation at the Unchiprang camp in Teknaf, Bangladesh (Courtesy: Reuters) ]

Over the past two years, Chinese officials have brokered three <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/wion-edit-can-china-still-afford-the-belt-and-road-initiative-275019">meetings between leaders</a> of the two countries, made multiple visits to the sprawling refugee camps housing the Rohingya in Bangladesh, hired cattle trucks to bring returnees home and even offered cash inducements, all to no avail.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/why-china-wants-a-foothold-in-myanmar-274967">Why China wants a foothold in Myanmar</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-china-ink-deals-to-accelerate-belt-and-road-as-xi-courts-an-isolated-suu-kyi-275025">China says it has made progress</a>, even if only a few hundred Rohingya have returned home so far. The issue received fresh attention when President Xi Jinping travelled to Myanmar on Friday for a two-day state visit. In a joint statement from both countries published after the visit, China reaffirmed its willingness to continue to meditate, while Myanmar thanked China for "its understanding of the Rakhine problem, its difficulty and complications".

<img alt="Myanmar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2e65632c-2d52-4528-89ce-576929d08019" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202020-01-20T143931.223.jpg" /> 
[&nbsp;Rohingya refugees take part in a prayer as they gather to mark the second anniversary of the exodus at the Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar (Courtesy: Reuters) ]

The main focus of Xi's visit was the massive Chinese infrastructure projects, including a controversial hydropower dam and a deep-sea port in Rakhine, that make Myanmar a vital link in his flagship Belt and Road Initiative aimed at expanding trade links across the world.

The two countries signed dozens of deals covering trade and infrastructure, with Myanmar agreeing to speed up implementation. 
Western Myanmar, sitting between booming India and Southeast Asia, is strategically important to Beijing, offering China's landlocked western provinces potential port access to the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal.

"We have facilitated and hosted three foreign minister meetings between China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh to work for early repatriation," Luo Zhaohui, China's vice foreign minister told reporters on Jan. 10 in a press conference ahead of Xi's trip. "Our efforts have paid off," he said.

But Bangladeshi officials, Western diplomats in Yangon, and security analysts say that China is mainly concerned with shoring up its key interests in Rakhine. In discussions with the Bangladesh government, Chinese officials emphasise the importance of developing the state rather than resolving human rights issues, according to a Bangladeshi official familiar with the discussions. "China wants to resolve the crisis," said another Bangladeshi official. "At least, they want to start repatriation as early as possible. But they are not doing enough to oblige Myanmar to create a conducive environment for them to return."

U.N. officials and diplomats in Yangon also say that China's efforts to broker a quick solution ignores the human rights concerns. "Their approach is wildly simplistic," said one Yangon-based diplomat. "What we hear is China has been pushing Myanmar and Bangladesh to just get it done. What does that mean when the conditions aren't there?"

Ko Ko Naing, a Myanmar official at the Ministry of Social Welfare, said China had been "helping continuously", citing its development efforts in Rakhine. "The lack of development is more important than social cohesion," he said. "We are doing many investments there. The roads are better."

While more than 730,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh in 2017, hundreds of thousands are still in Myanmar, confined to camps and villages where they are denied access to healthcare and education. 
Fresh fighting between government troops and an ethnic armed group comprised mostly of majority Rakhine Buddhists has also displaced tens of thousands of people.

Despite the concerns over the security situation in Rakhine, China's position is that Myanmar is ready to take back the refugees. It is also advocating resolving the issue through bilateral talks between Myanmar and Bangladesh, and minimizing the role of parties like the United Nations, which runs the refugee camps, as per statements issued by officials from both Myanmar and Bangladesh.

China has presented its diplomatic work in Myanmar and Bangladesh as humanitarian, but analysts and diplomats in Yangon say those efforts have broader geopolitical aims. "I'd say that China is not involved in the Rohingya crisis for humanitarian reasons, but political and economic considerations," said Yun Sun, co-director of the East Asia program at the Stimson Center in Washington. "China would like to be the new peacemaker in the region," she said, adding that China wanted to show how its approach to resolving the crisis could succeed where Western powers had failed. "It's a competition for leadership."

Nowkhim, a refugee leader in Kutapalong, one of the camps in Bangladesh, said the general perception among the Rohingya was that China was merely pressing Myanmar's official line and was unwilling to push it to accept their demands.

Myanmar's position is that the Rohingya are Muslim migrants from the Indian sub-continent and not one of the country's ethnic groups – which would technically grant them citizenship. "They are not willing to solve our problem easily," said Nowkhim. "They are just showing the world that 'we meet with Rohingya'."

Beijing's last major effort to kickstart repatriation was in August after Myanmar compiled a list of 3,000 Rohingya approved for return. But that effort failed after hundreds of the refugees on the list went into hiding to avoid being sent back. Standing in one of the refugee camps in Bangladesh at the time, a Chinese diplomat said that someone needed to make the first move to send the Rohingya back.

Myanmar officials waited on the other side of the border, but not a single refugee volunteered to return. Only about 400 refugees have since returned separately, according to Myanmar authorities. Rohingya leaders say that most returnees are those with close ties to the Myanmar government.

Myanmar has also rebuffed some of China's efforts, last year rejecting a proposal that refugees be allowed to visit Rakhine to assess conditions. 
A local businessman tasked with assembling the donated containers, who asked not to be named, said he saw little point in continuing with his work. "People haven't stayed in the houses for two years," he said. "I will stop building this year," he added. "The situation has not changed, right?"

In a sharp departure from its official policy of non-interference in the affairs of other countries, China has positioned itself as the key mediator in resolving the protracted crisis.

In a sharp departure from its official policy of non-interference in the affairs of other countries, China has positioned itself as the key mediator in resolving the protracted crisis. The main sticking point is a disagreement over whether the refugees will be safe in Myanmar. Myanmar says it has created safe conditions for the Rohingya's return, but Bangladesh and the United Nations say that fighting in Rakhine and a lack of human rights guarantees make a return for the refugees dangerous. The Rohingya, meanwhile, say they will not go back without guarantees of rights they are currently denied, including citizenship and freedom of movement. [ A boy holds a placard as hundreds of Rohingya refugees protest against their repatriation at the Unchiprang camp in Teknaf, Bangladesh (Courtesy: Reuters) ] Over the past two years, Chinese officials have brokered three meetings between leaders of the two countries, made multiple visits to the sprawling refugee camps housing the Rohingya in Bangladesh, hired cattle trucks to bring returnees home and even offered cash inducements, all to no avail. Also Read: Why China wants a foothold in Myanmar China says it has made progress, even if only a few hundred Rohingya have returned home so far. The issue received fresh attention when President Xi Jinping travelled to Myanmar on Friday for a two-day state visit. In a joint statement from both countries published after the visit, China reaffirmed its willingness to continue to meditate, while Myanmar thanked China for "its understanding of the Rakhine problem, its difficulty and complications". [ Rohingya refugees take part in a prayer as they gather to mark the second anniversary of the exodus at the Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar (Courtesy: Reuters) ] The main focus of Xi's visit was the massive Chinese infrastructure projects, including a controversial hydropower dam and a deep-sea port in Rakhine, that make Myanmar a vital link in his flagship Belt and Road Initiative aimed at expanding trade links across the world. The two countries signed dozens of deals covering trade and infrastructure, with Myanmar agreeing to speed up implementation. Western Myanmar, sitting between booming India and Southeast Asia, is strategically important to Beijing, offering China's landlocked western provinces potential port access to the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. "We have facilitated and hosted three foreign minister meetings between China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh to work for early repatriation," Luo Zhaohui, China's vice foreign minister told reporters on Jan. 10 in a press conference ahead of Xi's trip. "Our efforts have paid off," he said. But Bangladeshi officials, Western diplomats in Yangon, and security analysts say that China is mainly concerned with shoring up its key interests in Rakhine. In discussions with the Bangladesh government, Chinese officials emphasise the importance of developing the state rather than resolving human rights issues, according to a Bangladeshi official familiar with the discussions. "China wants to resolve the crisis," said another Bangladeshi official. "At least, they want to start repatriation as early as possible. But they are not doing enough to oblige Myanmar to create a conducive environment for them to return." U.N. officials and diplomats in Yangon also say that China's efforts to broker a quick solution ignores the human rights concerns. "Their approach is wildly simplistic," said one Yangon-based diplomat. "What we hear is China has been pushing Myanmar and Bangladesh to just get it done. What does that mean when the conditions aren't there?" Ko Ko Naing, a Myanmar official at the Ministry of Social Welfare, said China had been "helping continuously", citing its development efforts in Rakhine. "The lack of development is more important than social cohesion," he said. "We are doing many investments there. The roads are better." While more than 730,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh in 2017, hundreds of thousands are still in Myanmar, confined to camps and villages where they are denied access to healthcare and education. Fresh fighting between government troops and an ethnic armed group comprised mostly of majority Rakhine Buddhists has also displaced tens of thousands of people. Despite the concerns over the security situation in Rakhine, China's position is that Myanmar is ready to take back the refugees. It is also advocating resolving the issue through bilateral talks between Myanmar and Bangladesh, and minimizing the role of parties like the United Nations, which runs the refugee camps, as per statements issued by officials from both Myanmar and Bangladesh. China has presented its diplomatic work in Myanmar and Bangladesh as humanitarian, but analysts and diplomats in Yangon say those efforts have broader geopolitical aims. "I'd say that China is not involved in the Rohingya crisis for humanitarian reasons, but political and economic considerations," said Yun Sun, co-director of the East Asia program at the Stimson Center in Washington. "China would like to be the new peacemaker in the region," she said, adding that China wanted to show how its approach to resolving the crisis could succeed where Western powers had failed. "It's a competition for leadership." Nowkhim, a refugee leader in Kutapalong, one of the camps in Bangladesh, said the general perception among the Rohingya was that China was merely pressing Myanmar's official line and was unwilling to push it to accept their demands. Myanmar's position is that the Rohingya are Muslim migrants from the Indian sub-continent and not one of the country's ethnic groups – which would technically grant them citizenship. "They are not willing to solve our problem easily," said Nowkhim. "They are just showing the world that 'we meet with Rohingya'." Beijing's last major effort to kickstart repatriation was in August after Myanmar compiled a list of 3,000 Rohingya approved for return. But that effort failed after hundreds of the refugees on the list went into hiding to avoid being sent back. Standing in one of the refugee camps in Bangladesh at the time, a Chinese diplomat said that someone needed to make the first move to send the Rohingya back. Myanmar officials waited on the other side of the border, but not a single refugee volunteered to return. Only about 400 refugees have since returned separately, according to Myanmar authorities. Rohingya leaders say that most returnees are those with close ties to the Myanmar government. Myanmar has also rebuffed some of China's efforts, last year rejecting a proposal that refugees be allowed to visit Rakhine to assess conditions. A local businessman tasked with assembling the donated containers, who asked not to be named, said he saw little point in continuing with his work. "People haven't stayed in the houses for two years," he said. "I will stop building this year," he added. "The situation has not changed, right?"

China struggles in new diplomatic role, trying to return Rohingya refugees to Myanmar

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../facebook-to-help-in-fight-against-polio- pakistan-274718">Facebook&nbsp;Inc</a> on Saturday blamed a&nbsp;technical&nbsp;error&nbsp;for&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;leader Xi Jinping’s&nbsp;name&nbsp;appearing as “Mr Shithole” in posts on its platform when translated into English from Burmese, apologising for any offence&nbsp;caused.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-sued-in-us-federal-court-for-alleged-anti-competitive-conduct-274773">Facebook sued in US federal court for alleged anti competitive conduct</a>

The&nbsp;error&nbsp;came to light on the second day of a visit by the president to the Southeast Asian country, where Xi and state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi signed dozens of agreements covering massive Beijing-backed infrastructure plans.

A statement about the visit published on Suu Kyi’s official&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;page was littered with references to “Mr Shithole” when translated to English, while a headline in local news journal the Irrawaddy appeared as “Dinner honours president shithole”.

It was not clear how long the issue lasted but Google’s&nbsp;translation&nbsp;function did not show the same&nbsp;error.

<h6><img alt="Xi Jinping Name error" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1be5e237-daa1-45a6-88d7-bf861fcf254f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%285%29_18.jpg" /> 
 
Image: Facebook translation&nbsp;of Myanmar State Counsellor Office's Burmese post to English | Facebook</h6>

"We fixed a&nbsp;technical&nbsp;issue that&nbsp;caused&nbsp;incorrect&nbsp;translations from Burmese to English on&nbsp;Facebook. This should not have happened and we are taking steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again. We sincerely apologize for the offence this has&nbsp;caused,"&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;said in a statement.

The&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;system did not have President Xi Jinping's&nbsp;name&nbsp;in its Burmese database and guessed at the&nbsp;translation, the company said.&nbsp;Translation&nbsp;tests of similar words that start with "xi" and "shi" in Burmese also produced "shithole", it added.

Facebook&nbsp;is blocked in mainland China. But it is not blocked in Hong Kong and mainland companies advertise elsewhere on the platform, making China&nbsp;Facebook’s biggest country for revenue after the United States. It is setting up a new engineering team to focus specifically on the lucrative&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;advertising business, Reuters reported last week.

Facebook&nbsp;has faced numerous problems with&nbsp;translation&nbsp;from Burmese in the past. In 2018 it temporarily removed the function after a Reuters report showed the tool was producing bizarre results.

An investigation documented how the company was failing in its efforts to combat vitriolic Burmese language posts about Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims, some 730,000 of whom fled a military crackdown in 2017 that the U.N has said was conducted with “genocidal intent”.

It also showed the&nbsp;translation&nbsp;feature was flawed, citing an anti-Rohingya post advocating killing Muslims that was translated into English as “I shouldn’t have a rainbow in Myanmar”.

Facebook Inc on Saturday blamed a technical error for Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s name appearing as “Mr Shithole” in posts on its platform when translated into English from Burmese, apologising for any offence caused.

Facebook Inc on Saturday blamed a technical error for Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s name appearing as “Mr Shithole” in posts on its platform when translated into English from Burmese, apologising for any offence caused. Also read: Facebook sued in US federal court for alleged anti competitive conduct The error came to light on the second day of a visit by the president to the Southeast Asian country, where Xi and state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi signed dozens of agreements covering massive Beijing-backed infrastructure plans. A statement about the visit published on Suu Kyi’s official Facebook page was littered with references to “Mr Shithole” when translated to English, while a headline in local news journal the Irrawaddy appeared as “Dinner honours president shithole”. It was not clear how long the issue lasted but Google’s translation function did not show the same error. Image: Facebook translation of Myanmar State Counsellor Office's Burmese post to English | Facebook "We fixed a technical issue that caused incorrect translations from Burmese to English on Facebook. This should not have happened and we are taking steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again. We sincerely apologize for the offence this has caused," Facebook said in a statement. The Facebook system did not have President Xi Jinping's name in its Burmese database and guessed at the translation, the company said. Translation tests of similar words that start with "xi" and "shi" in Burmese also produced "shithole", it added. Facebook is blocked in mainland China. But it is not blocked in Hong Kong and mainland companies advertise elsewhere on the platform, making China Facebook’s biggest country for revenue after the United States. It is setting up a new engineering team to focus specifically on the lucrative Chinese advertising business, Reuters reported last week. Facebook has faced numerous problems with translation from Burmese in the past. In 2018 it temporarily removed the function after a Reuters report showed the tool was producing bizarre results. An investigation documented how the company was failing in its efforts to combat vitriolic Burmese language posts about Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims, some 730,000 of whom fled a military crackdown in 2017 that the U.N has said was conducted with “genocidal intent”. It also showed the translation feature was flawed, citing an anti-Rohingya post advocating killing Muslims that was translated into English as “I shouldn’t have a rainbow in Myanmar”.

Technical error caused vulgar translation of Xi Jinping's name: Facebook

Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a two-day visit to Myanmar. China and Myanmar are marking 70 years of their ties. 33 new agreements have been signed in the visit.

China, Myanmar sign 33 agreements

China is making major investments in Myanmar - and surrounding India from all sides. Beijing is building more infrastructure investments in the Indian subcontinent.

Why China wants a foothold in Myanmar

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi officially held talks in Myanmar's capital New Pi Taw on Saturday. Emphasizing on the importance of fraternal friendship between the two countries, Xi said that both China and Myanmar have entered a new phase in national development, with bilateral relations facing new development opportunities.

Myanmar State Counselor & China's Jinping held official talks

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday doubled down on his support to Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, signing a number of infrastructure and trade deals in his state visit to Myanmar. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Jinping also met Myanmar army chief, who is accused of overseeing a genocide against Rohingya Muslims.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-china-ink-deals-to-accelerate-belt-and-road-as-xi-courts-an-isolated-suu-kyi-275025">Myanmar, China ink deals to accelerate Belt and Road project as Xi meets Suu Kyi</a>

China reaffirmed its strong support to a nation that is isolated for its treatment to Rohingya minorities. Nearly 740,000 Rohinyas flee to Bangladesh after a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar, which is described as a genoicide by the UN investigators.&nbsp;

China "firmly supports Myanmar's efforts to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests and national dignity in the international arena" and for it to advance "peace, stability and development in Rakhine State", said the joint statement released by Chinese state media.&nbsp;

Over 30 agreements were signed on the last day of Xi's visit. China now is Myanmar's largest investor.&nbsp;

Suu Kyi, whose reputation was tarnished in the West due to Rohingya crisis, said that the country will always be in China's side.&nbsp;

However, the distrust over China's intentions was apparent in Myanmar as dozens protested in Yangon against any reinstatement of a controversial Chinese-backed mega-dam.

Protesters carried signs that called for "termination" of the $3.6 billion Myitsone project.&nbsp;

The project was suspended in 2011 after a nationwide condemnation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday doubled down on his support to Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, signing a number of infrastructure and trade deals in his state visit to Myanmar.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday doubled down on his support to Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, signing a number of infrastructure and trade deals in his state visit to Myanmar. Jinping also met Myanmar army chief, who is accused of overseeing a genocide against Rohingya Muslims. Also read: Myanmar, China ink deals to accelerate Belt and Road project as Xi meets Suu Kyi China reaffirmed its strong support to a nation that is isolated for its treatment to Rohingya minorities. Nearly 740,000 Rohinyas flee to Bangladesh after a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar, which is described as a genoicide by the UN investigators. China "firmly supports Myanmar's efforts to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests and national dignity in the international arena" and for it to advance "peace, stability and development in Rakhine State", said the joint statement released by Chinese state media. Over 30 agreements were signed on the last day of Xi's visit. China now is Myanmar's largest investor. Suu Kyi, whose reputation was tarnished in the West due to Rohingya crisis, said that the country will always be in China's side. However, the distrust over China's intentions was apparent in Myanmar as dozens protested in Yangon against any reinstatement of a controversial Chinese-backed mega-dam. Protesters carried signs that called for "termination" of the $3.6 billion Myitsone project. The project was suspended in 2011 after a nationwide condemnation.

China stands with Myanmar despite Rohingya backlash, inks dozens of deals

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